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LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON.  N.  J. 


S\ne  0,\^+Vi- 


Presented  bv        0106/  Wi\^Tr\Or' 


BX  9211  .P49124  F706  1920 
Somerndike,  John  Mason,  187 
-1939. 

The  Presbyterian  church  of 
^E^ankford  .  1  770-1  Q7n 


flH 


The 

Presbyterian  Church 

of 

Frankford 

1770-1920 


By 
JOHN  M.  SOMERNDIKE 


Published  by 

THE  ANNIVERSARY  COMMITTEE 

1920 


CONTENTS 


Foreword 5 

Chapter  I — 

Beginnings 9 

Chapte:r  II — 

The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Or- 
ganization        31 

Cn AFTER  III — 

An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress 59 

Chapter  IV — 

Years  of  Expansion 7Z 

Chapter  V — 

Twenty-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry ...     95 

Chapter  VI — 

The    Sunday-school    of   the    Presbyterian 

Church  of  Frankf ord 123 


FOREWORD 

In  preparation  for  the  celebration  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Frankford  and  the  Twenty-fifth 
Anniversary  of  Doctor  Laird's  ministry,  a  Com- 
mittee was  appointed  consisting  of  representatives 
of  the  Session,  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the 
congregation. 

The  Committee  was  unanimous  in  its  judgment 
that  one  of  the  most  effective  ways  of  commemorat- 
ing this  anniversary  occasion  would  be  the  publica- 
tion of  a  complete  book  containing  a  history  of  the 
Church.  The  writer  was  appointed  to  undertake 
the  work. 

History  is  always  a  fascinating  study.  To  search 
through  the  archives  of  forgotten  days,  to  call 
before  us  the  men  and  women  who  served  their  day 
and  generation  faithfully  and  well,  and  to  whose 
labors  and  sacrifices  we  are  indebted  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  church  whose  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth 
Anniversary  it  is  our  privilege  to  celebrate,  was  an 
agreeable  task. 

The  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frank- 
ford  is  one  in  which  the  present  generation  may 
have  a  pardonable  pride.  For  an  institution  to 
attain  to  the  venerable  age  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years,  its  foundations  being  laid  before  America 
became  a  nation,  is  so  rare  as  to  justify  more  than 
passing  notice. 

As  these  pages  are  perused  it  may  seem  to  those 
in  whose  memories  many  of  the  events  recorded 
were  but  recently  enacted,  that  a  fuller  and  more 


6  Foreword 

detailed  account  might  have  been  given  concerning 
certain  outstanding  characters  who  contributed  in  a 
large  way  toward  the  perpetuation  and  growth  of 
the  church. 

The  writer's  only  apology  for  the  apparent  brevity 
in  referring  to  the  life  and  work  of  many  of  the 
saints  who  have  labored  here  is  that  the  limitation 
of  space  made  it  impracticable.  Many  volumes 
could  be  filled  with  the  story  of  their  toils  and 
sacrifices  for  their  beloved  Zion.  Scores  of  others 
also,  though  occupying  humbler  places,  were  no  less 
consecrated  and  devoted  than  those  whose  names 
appear. 

Likewise  an  entire  volume  should  have  been  de- 
voted to  the  events  of  the  present  pastorate,  whose 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  gives  us  the  opportunity 
of  paying  our  tribute  of  affection  and  appreciation 
to  him  whom  all  men  delight  to  honor;  and  much 
could  be  written  concerning  those  who  have  labored 
so  zealously  with  him.  But  here  again  we  have 
been  restricted.  Future  historians  will  record  these 
things  when  this  generation  shall  have  passed 
beyond. 

As   the   story   is   told   to    our   children   and   to 

children's  children  may  it  ever  serve  to  show  forth 

to  them  the  wonders  of   God's  grace.     May  the 

example  of  godly  life  and  sacrificial  service  which 

these  years  of   sacred  association   of  pastors  and 

people  have  unfolded,  inspire  them  to  still  larger 

endeavor;  and  may  greater  victories  of   faith  be 

their  reward!  t  ivt   o 

J.  M.  Somerndike:. 

May,  1920. 


COMMITTEE 

OF  THE 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTIETH  ANNIVERSARY 
OF  THE  CHURCH 

AND  THE 

TWENTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE 
PASTORATE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  B.  LAIRD,  D.D. 


John  W.  Liberton,  Chairman. 
Henry  S.  Battin. 
George  E.  Borie. 
Henry  S.  Borneman. 
Norman  S.  Castor. 
Charles  C.  Davis. 
Robert  Dawes. 
Frederick  L.  Degener,  Jr. 
Daniei.  R.  Greenwood. 
W.  Howard  Hoi^den. 
James  S.  McMaster. 
Thomas  N.  Murray. 
Robert  L.  Sheppard. 
John  M.  Somerndike. 
Cl^INTON  Y.  W11.GUS. 


CHAPTER  I 

BEGINNINGS 

"Walk  about  Zion,  *  *  *  tell  the  towers  thereof,  mark 
ye  well  her  bulwarks,  *  *  *  that  ye  may  tell  it  to  the 
generations   following." 

Traversing  the  two  miles  of  Frankford's  main 
thoroughfare  in  1920,  with  its  modern  shops,  its 
banks,  its  offices,  imposing  church  edifices,  library, 
public  park,  postoffice,  railway  terminal,  and  its 
elevated  railway  structure  overhead,  one  sees  little 
to  bring  to  memory  the  history  of  earlier  days. 
The  ancient  landmarks,  one  by  one,  have  disap- 
peared under  the  ruthless  pressure  of  business  en- 
terprise. Indeed  it  is  difficult  to  picture  the  old 
Frankfort  village  of  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  out 
of  the  few  remnants  that  have  been  preserved,  for 
we  find  the  old  Frankford  Presbyterian  Church  to 
be  among  the  few  properties  which  have  withstood 
all  the  changes  which  the  passing  years  have 
wrought.  By  the  labors  and  sacrifices  of  faithful 
followers  of  the  Christ,  through  succeeding  gener- 
ations, this  structure  stands  on  its  original  founda- 
tions, still  devoted  to  the  sacred  use  for  which  it 
was  first  erected  by  loving  hands.  Is  it  not  signifi- 
cant of  the  unchanging  character  of  things  eternal, 
and  prophetic  of  the  enduring  power  of  the  Word 
of  God,  that  this  shrine  made  sacred  by  the  feet  of 
thousands  of  earth's  pilgrims,  should  have  survived 
the   storm   and   stress  of   time?     With  the   swift 


10  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

passing  of  the  years,  tens  of  thousands  have  found 
within  the  temple's  precincts  the  fulfillment  of  their 
souls'  longings,  the  satisfaction  of  their  spiritual 
hunger,  and  the  consolation  of  God's  Word.  Still 
it  stands  bearing  witness  to  the  Truth  and  pointing 
weary  souls  heavenward. 

The  little  village  clustered  about  the  vicinity  of 
Frankford  Creek,  where  stood  the  old  flour  mill, 
made  famous  by  the  visit  of  Lydia  Darrah,  in  her 
daring  adventure  to  save  Washington's  troops  from 
a  surprise  attack,  was  composed  of  only  a  few 
German  families.  They  lived  rather  colorless  lives, 
viewed  from  our  present  point  of  advantage,  but 
wholesome,  with  homely  pleasures,  a  warm  spirit  of 
neighborliness,  and  withal  a  religious  zeal  and 
Christian  devotion  in  individual  and  family  life, 
which  imparted  a  sturdiness  of  character  and  a 
stability  of  community  life,  whose  influence  has 
permeated  every  period  of  its  development.  To  the 
east  of  them  there  was  a  settlement  of  Quakers, 
descendents  of  some  of  those  who  accompanied 
William  Penn  upon  his  great  religious  enterprise. 

From  their  Fatherland,  these  German  folk 
brought  with  them  a  deep  reverence  for  God  and 
His  Word.  The  fires  kindled  by  the  Reformation 
Period  through  which  their  forefathers  had  passed, 
had  long  since  died  out,  but  the  story  of  the  trials 
and  persecutions  which  they  endured  were  re- 
counted over  and  over  again  from  generation  to 
generation  around  the  family  altars,  as  they  read 
from  the  sacred  Book  and  chanted  the  hymns  of 
Zion.    Heroes  of  the  faith  they  were,  no  less  than 


Beginnings  1 1 

their  forefathers  who  had  withstood  the  trying 
times  of  the  days  of  Luther  and  Zwingli. 

Little  wonder  then,  that  soon  after  they  arrived 
in  this  little  settlement,  they  gathered  for  worship 
on  the  Sabbath  day,  from  house  to  house,  without  a 
preacher,  finding  joy  and  uplift  in  singing  God's 
praises.  With  deep  fervor  and  emotion,  they  chant 
the  "  Ein  Feste  Burg  ",  they  read  the  precious  prom- 
ises of  God's  Word,  spending  long  seasons  in 
prayer,  and  in  the  study  of  the  catechism.  The 
nearest  church  organization  was  the  German  Cal- 
vinistic  or  Reformed  congregation  in  the  village  of 
Germantown,  whose  missionary  pastor  was  respon- 
sible for  two  other  outstations.  The  little  flock  in 
Frankfort  could  not  hope  to  have  their  own  shep- 
herd, because  they  were  few  in  number,  and  not 
sufficiently  provided  with  means  to  sustain  him. 
Neither  did  it  seem  practicable  to  impose  any  addi- 
tional burdens  upon  the  faithful  pastor  of  the  Ger- 
mantown congregation,  whose  widely  scattered 
parish  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  minister  to  the 
needs  of  the  families  for  whom  he  was  already 
responsible. 

As  the  people  from  the  neighboring  villages  came 
to  Frankfort  to  grind  their  meal  and  to  visit  friends 
or  relatives,  their  religious  welfare  doubtless  was 
the  subject  of  frequent  conversation  around  the 
humble  firesides,  and  it  is  not  strange  therefore  that 
the  "  Dominie  "  in  Germantown,  Christopher  Faber, 
was  informed  concerning  the  devotion  of  these 
people,  and  began  to  manifest  an  interest  in  them. 
This  faithful  missionary  pastor,  for  the  ministers 


12  The  Presby^ierian  Church  of  Frankford 

of  that  day  were  missionary  heroes  in  the  truest 
sense,  made  occasional  visits  to  Frankfort,  and  en- 
couraged the  people  in  their  efforts,  doubtless  hold- 
ing before  them  the  hope  that  at  no  distant  time,  in 
the  Providence  of  God,  provision  might  be  made  for 
the  pastoral  oversight  and  guidance  which  they  so 
ardently  desired. 

It  was  not  long  before  their  prayers  and  longings 
began  to  give  promise  of  fulfillment,  for  they  were 
soon  reinforced  by  a  company  of  Swiss  immigrants 
from  the  city  of  Basel.  Coming  from  that  strong- 
hold of  the  Protestant  faith  it  was  not  strange  that 
they  readily  joined  with  singleness  of  mind  and 
heart  in  the  religious  aspirations  of  their  German 
neighbors.  They,  too,  could  look  back  upon  an 
ancestry  that  had  passed  through  fiery  trials  and 
sufferings  in  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  They  had 
lived  under  the  shadow  of  the  great  university, 
whose  history  was  inseparably  woven  into  the  warp 
and  woof  of  the  Reformation  struggle,  whose  halls 
were  the  scene  of  many  a  warm  controversy  between 
the  Reformation  heroes  and  those  who  had  per- 
verted the  Truth  to  serve  their  selfish  ends.  It  was 
the  home  of  Zwingli,  that  fearless  advocate  of 
Protestantism,  whose  name  will  forever  stand  with 
those  of  the  great  Reformation  leaders,  Luther  and 
Calvin.  From  that  day  until  the  present  Basel 
University  has  been  the  seat  of  the  best  Protestant 
scholarship.  It  has  never  swerved  from  the  Re- 
formed Faith. 

With  their  forces  thus  strengthened,  the  leaders 
of  the  Frankfort  settlement  now  felt  justified  in 


Beginnings  1 3 

appealing  to  the  "  Coetus  ",  or  Convention  of  the 
Reformed  Churches  in  Pennsylvania,  for  pastoral 
guidance.  The  "  Coetus "  was  the  ecclesiastical 
body  in  America  representing  the  mother  Church 
in  Holland.  During  a  period  of  forty-five  years, 
until  1792,  the  Reformed  churches  in  America 
stood  in  the  closest  relation  to  the  Reformed  Church 
of  Holland,  from  whose  ranks  most  of  the  ministers 
of  the  American  churches  were  received.  In  addi- 
tion, the  mother  Church  in  Holland  sent  frequent 
donations  of  money  to  help  in  sustaining  the  work. 
Careful  minutes  were  kept  of  the  meetings  of  the 
Coetus,  and  yearly  reports  were  sent  to  Holland, 
where  they  were  carefully  preserved.  Indeed  the 
only  official  records  of  these  churches  are  those 
which  are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  mother 
Church. 

In  1769  the  Germantown  church,  after  being 
without  a  pastor  for  a  year  following  the  transfer 
of  Christopher  Faber  to  another  field,  presented  to 
the  Coetus  a  unanimous  request  for  the  services  of 
Christian  Frederick  Faehring,  a  young  man  of 
thirty-one  years,  who  was  one  of  the  first  Reformed 
ministers  to  receive  his  ministerial  education  in 
America.  The  records  refer  to  him  as  one  "  whom 
God's  Providence  deprived  of  his  father  in  the 
early  years  of  his  life,  he  thus  becoming  an  orphan 
and  a  servant  of  others.  But  God  himself,  in  a 
special  manner  taking  his  father's  place,  directed 
him  so  that  he  applied  whatever  he  earned  in  the 
sweat  of  his  brow,  with  an  extraordinary  and  vol- 
untary desire  to  the  study  of  languages,  and  the 
truths  which  God  has  revealed  for  our  salvation." 


14  The  Presh])terian  Church  of  Frankford 

The  story  of  his  early  years  is  a  thrilling  one. 
His  father  died  in  the  military  service  of  Germany, 
and  his  mother  knew  that  if  her  son  remained  in 
that  country  he  also  would  be  compelled  to  enter 
the  army.  To  avoid  this,  when  the  boy  was  but 
seven  years  of  age,  she  tied  him  to  her  back,  and 
skating  across  the  Rhine,  escaped  out  of  the  country. 
Amid  trying  experiences,  she  finally  made  her  way 
to  the  coast  and  found  passage  for  America,  arriv- 
ing in  Germantown,  where  she  sought  refuge  with 
friends  who  had  previously  emigrated  to  this  coun- 
try. Mr.  Faehring  saved  enough  of  his  earnings  to 
enable  him  to  enter  the  College  of  New  Jersey  (now 
Princeton  University).  Through  one  of  his  teach- 
ers he  became  acquainted  with  the  members  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Coetus.  The  records  continue :  "  We 
felt  compelled  to  aid  this  man  according  to  our 
ability,  and  each  minister  gave  him  something  for 
maintenance,  and  support,  so  that  through  God's 
Grace  he  might  attain  his  object."  For  three  years 
he  was  instructed  in  theology,  according  to  the 
custom  of  that  period,  by  three  different  ministers, 
spending  a  year  with  each,  and  residing  in  their 
homes.  There  were  no  theological  seminaries,  and 
for  many  years  all  the  young  men  who  were  trained 
for  the  ministerial  ofifice  were  prepared  in  this  man- 
ner, often  at  great  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  both 
teacher  and  student. 

Mr.  Faehring  was  given  a  preliminary  exami- 
nation in  1768,  and  the  following  year  was  again 
examined,  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  as- 
signed to  the  Germantown  Church  and  the  outlying 


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Beginnings  1 5 

fields.  The  coming  of  Mr.  Faehring,  full  of  the 
vigor  and  freshness  of  youth,  gave  new  hope  to  the 
Frankfort  settlers,  whom  he  doubtless  visited  more 
frequently  than  his  predecessor  had  done.  He  en- 
couraged them  to  begin  preparations  for  a  house  of 
worship  as  the  first  step  toward  receiving  recog- 
nition from  the  Coetus  as  a  church  organization. 

Accordingly,  in  January,  1769,  they  purchased  a 
lot  at  the  corner  of  Paul's  Back  Lane  (now  Paul 
Street)  and  Church  Lane  (now  Church  Street). 
The  next  year,  through  the  assistance  of  friends, 
they  resolved  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  on  this 
spot,  commencing  the  work  in  April,  1770.  Con- 
cerning this  action  on  the  part  of  the  little  company, 
we  are  fortunate  in  having  the  original  record  pre- 
served, which  was  written  in  German.  Let  this  tell 
the  story  of  the  beginnings  of  this  sacred  work. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  Amen. 
Whereas  it  has  pleased  the  Almighty  and  All-wise 
God  through  His  providence  and  His  Holy  Ghost, 
to  inspire  the  following  persons,  viz. :  George 
Castor,  Sr.,  Henry  Rohrer,  Sr.,  Rudolph  Neff  and 
Sirach  Schudy  to  build  a  house  for  the  glory  of  His 
Holy  Name:  Therefore,  these  above-named  per- 
sons, with  their  friends,  have  consulted  together 
about  the  undertaking  of  this  great  work;  and  the 
following  persons,  viz. :  Frederick  Castor,  Rudolph 
Mawrerer,  Jacob  Zebly,  Jacob  Myer,  have  joined 
them  to  help  with  heart  and  hand  and  deed  to  carry 
out  the  above  measure.  The  beginning  of  this  was 
undertaken  by  the  above-named  persons,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  1769,  in  the  month  of  January,  in  the 


16  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Fran^ford 

purchase  of  a  lot  for  a  burial-ground.  But  after 
this,  through  the  help  of  God,  and  the  many  friends 
and  patrons,  whose  names  will  be  found  in  the  min- 
ute books,  and  to  whom  we  and  our  successors  will 
owe  the  most  sincere  thanks,  it  was  resolved  that  a 
church  should  be  built  on  the  said  burial-ground, 
and  the  work  thereof  was  commenced  in  April,  1770. 
"  We  can  well  affirm  that  the  progress  of  this 
building  was  conducted  in  a  desired  manner,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  in  great  harmony,  in  a  peaceful 
and  untiring  effort.  On  the  fourth  of  May,  in  the 
same  year,  the  corner-stone  was  laid  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Faehring.  Since  the  church  is  not  entirely  out 
of  debt,  as  you  will  see  in  the  minutes  and  records, 
as  well  as  from  the  receipts  of  Rudolph  Neff  and 
Frederick  Castor;  we  therefore  felt  constrained  to 
present  a  correct  account  and  full  statement  of  all, 
that  our  descendants  and  all  who  shall  be  interested, 
might  have  a  record  which  they  could  examine  in 
the  future.  Wherefore,  we  say  to  those  who  will 
follow  us,  be  careful  and  wise ;  be  on  your  guard — 
so  that  you  may  increase  as  well  as  enlarge  your 
numbers ;  and  never  get  tired  of  keeping  this  build- 
ing in  good  repair.  We  wish  you  therefore  good 
success.  *  O  Jerusalem,  lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye 
gates ;  and  be  ye  hfted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors ;  and 
the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.'  Now  God  Al- 
mighty, Creator  of  the  universe,  we  commend  to 
Thee  this  house  which  we  have  built  in  Thy  Holy 
Name,  and  for  the  glory  of  God.  Keep  in  Thy  hands 
and  protection  those  who  shall  meet  in  it.  Destroy 
all  false  doctrines  and  all  that  is  intended  to  destroy 


Beginnings  1 7 

Thy  Word.  Give  now  and  forever  Thy  grace,  peace 
and  unity,  and  Thine  shall  be  the  praise  and  thanks, 
honor  and  glory,  now  and  forever.    Amen." 

This  was  the  last  record,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  accounts,  that  was  made  during  the  period  of 
thirty-seven  years,  until  1807,  while  the  church  was 
affiliated  with  the  German  Reformed  body.  During 
this  time  all  the  services  were  conducted  in  the 
German  language.  There  was  no  Sunday-school, 
of  course,  because  the  Sunday-school  movement  had 
not  yet  come  into  existence.  Children  were  cate- 
chized thoroughly  before  confirmation,  but  this  was 
the  only  religious  training  which  the  church  at- 
tempted in  behalf  of  its  youth  in  those  early  days. 

Among  the  names  of  the  founders  of  the  church 
will  be  recognized  the  honored  sire  of  the  Castor 
family,  branches  of  which  have  been  closely  identi- 
fied with  the  church's  life  through  the  succeeding 
generations  to  the  present. 

Among  the  friends  to  whom  reference  is  made  in 
the  original  record,  and  whose  financial  assistance 
made  it  possible  for  the  building  to  be  erected,  were 
Samuel  Neswinger,  Rudolph  Shutz,  Leonard  Froe- 
lich,  Yost  Myers,  Jacob  Madeira,  Jacob  Schmid, 
Jacob  Mag,  David  Bleuh,  Christopher  Bender, 
Frederick  Scheibly,  George  Wilkins,  Edward  Steils, 
Jacob  Geisse,  Leonard  Kaufifmann,  Alexander  Ed- 
wards, Ulric  Neif,  and  many  other  residents  of  the 
village  who  realized  the  value  of  a  church  in  safe- 
guarding and  stabilizing  the  community  life. 

The  church  building  was  a  one-story  structure, 
forty  feet  wide  and  thirty  feet  long,  about  one- 


18  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

fourth  the  size  of  the  present  edifice.    The  cost  of 
the  building  was  carefully  recorded,  as  follows : 

£.  s.  d. 
The    stone,    lime,    sand,    hair,    and 

hauling  ,...133  2  10 

Boards,    planks,    shingles,    and    other 

lumber 109  6  3 

Paint,  oil,  glass,  and  painting 27  16  8 

Mason  work  and  plastering. 64  16  8 

Carpenter  and  cabinet  work 97  16  9 

Blacksmith  work  and  other  incidentals    28  17  5 

Whole  cost  of  building  when  finished .  461  15  11 
or  about  two  thousand  four  hundred  dollars 
($2,400). 

There  were  but  sixteen  churches  in  Philadelphia 
at  the  time  the  comer-stone  of  the  Frankford 
Church  was  laid,  four  of  them  being  Presbyterian. 
In  Frankford  there  was  but  one  place  of  worship, 
the  old  Friends  Meeting  House,  the  second  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  a  wooden  structure,  which 
later  (in  1776)  was  replaced  by  the  brick  building 
which  still  stands  at  the  comer  of  Unity  and  Wain 
Streets. 

Following  the  erection  of  the  house  of  worship, 
Mr.  Faehring  held  services  regularly,  probably  once 
a  month,  for  a  period  of  two  years.  In  1772  he  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  a  Reformed  church  in 
New  York.  Frequent  reference  is  made  in  the  Min- 
utes of  the  Coetus,  to  the  excellent  work  of  Mr. 
Faehring,  and  he  is  highly  commended  for  his  faith- 


Beglnmngs  19 

fulness  and  piety.  The  records  of  the  Coetus  of 
1770,  however,  contain  a  statement  which  gives  evi- 
dence of  the  fact  that  he  had  not  reached  a  state  of 
grace  that  made  him  immune  from  the  attractions 
of  the  opposite  sex.  He  chose  a  wife  from  among 
the  daughters  of  his  elders,  which  was  quite  in  good 
taste  and  judgment,  but  in  the  manner  of  his  con- 
quest he  was  not  as  discreet  as  became  one  who 
occupied  the  exalted  position  of  spiritual  leader. 
The  matter  is  best  explained  by  quoting  the  record : 
"  In  the  last  session  a  complaint  was  lodged  against 
Dominie  Faehring  by  Sebastian  Mueller,  an  elder  of 
the  congregation  at  Germantown.  The  accusation 
was  to  the  efifect  that  Do.  Faehring  had  in  a  sly 
manner  eloped  with  Mueller's  daughter.  But  we 
could  not  come  to  a  decision  with  regard  to  this 
case  and  therefore  it  was  taken  up  again  to-day  and 
more  fully  investigated.  Then  the  following  action 
was  taken,  that,  although  Mr.  Faehring  had  some 
cause  for  such  procedure,  yet  the  way  in  which  he 
had  entered  into  wedlock  was  very  offensive  and 
irregular.  Mr.  Faehring  showed  regret  and  repent- 
ance and  asked  the  Coetus  for  forgiveness.  With 
this  Coetus  was  satisfied." 

With  the  calling  of  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Albertus 
Helffenstein  in  1772,  to  succeed  Mr.  Faehring  as 
pastor  of  the  Germantown  Church,  the  congregation 
in  Frankford  was  given  larger  recognition.  The 
record  states :  "  The  congregation  at  Frankford, 
which  in  the  past  was  served  by  Do.  Faehring,  asks 
that  Do.  Helffenstein,  of  Germantown,  serve  them 
every  two  weeks  in  the  afternoon,  but  in  such  a 


20  The  Presh})tenan  Church  of  Frankford 

manner  that  no  disadvantage  shall  arise  to  the  con- 
gregation in  Germantown  with  regard  to  cate- 
chization. 

"  Resolved :  The  congregation  of  Frankford  shall 
thus  be  served  by  the  minister  of  Germantown 
(every  other  week,  in  the  afternoon),  but  with  the 
condition  that  Do.  Helffenstein  shall  hold  cate- 
chization  in  Germantown  in  the  forenoon.  More- 
over, two  Sundays  in  the  year  shall  be  granted  to  the 
congregation  at  Frankford  for  holding  communion." 

Mr.  Helffenstein  evidently  was  a  man  of  unusual 
scholarship  and  administrative  ability.  Upon  the 
occasion  of  his  reception  by  the  Pennsylvania 
Coetus,  he  is  said  to  have  "  brought  a  very  excellent 
testimonial  of  his  life  and  doctrine."  He  was  prom- 
ised an  annual  stipend  of  seventy-five  pounds,  Penn- 
sylvania money,  for  his  services  in  Germantown  and 
Frankford.  He  belonged  to  a  family  in  which  there 
had  been  a  succession  of  ministers  since  the  Refor- 
mation. He  was  bom  in  the  Palatinate.  In  the 
book  "  One  Hundred  Years  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Frankford  ",  Dr.  Thomas  Murphy  gives 
the  best  authentic  record  of  these  early  pastorates. 
He  writes  concerning  Mr.  Helffenstein :  "  While  on 
his  way  to  this  country,  a  severe  storm  at  sea  led 
him  to  consecrate  himself  more  entirely  to  the 
service  of  God.  His  sermons  were  very  pointed  and 
stirring,  and  his  ministry  was  greatly  blessed. 
Often,  it  is  said,  was  his  congregation  overwhelmed 
by  the  mighty  power  of  truth,  as  it  flowed  with 
majesty  and  tenderness  from  his  heart.  He  died  of 
consumption  in  the  year  1789. 


Beginnmgs  2 1 

"  During  part  of  the  interval  between  1775  and 
1779,  while  Mr.  Helffenstein  was  at  Lancaster,  the 
church  was  probably  supplied  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Dubbendorf,  then  pastor  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church  of  Germantown.  He  had  come  over  from 
Europe  as  chaplain  with  the  Hessian  soldiers.  But, 
afterwards,  *  through  the  plunderings  of  the  English 
soldiers,  he  lost  nearly  all  he  had,  and  amid  terror, 
want  and  famine,  saw  all  his  satisfaction  and  com- 
fort in  temporal  things  carried  away  as  by  a  storm.' 
On  this  account  he  left  his  field  in  Germantown  and 
vicinity  after  a  stay  of  about  two  years.  Mr.  Dub- 
bendorf was  a  man  tender  and  refined  in  his  feel- 
ings, of  strong  affections,  and  greatly  devoted  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  He  was  never  married. 
Neither  the  date  of  his  birth  nor  his  age  is  recorded. 

"  Towards  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  HelfiFenstein's 
pastorate — in  1787 — we  find,  in  an  Act  of  Incorpo- 
ration, that  the  Rev.  Philip  R.  Pauli  was  minister  of 
this  church.  It  is  probable  that  he  became  such  in 
consequence  of  Mr.  Helfifenstein's  declining  health. 
Mr.  Pauli  was  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  in  1742.  In 
that  country  he  was  fully  educated,  and  came  to 
America  in  1783.  Soon  afterwards  he  took  charge 
of  the  Academy  of  Philadelphia  for  six  years.  It 
was  during  part  of  that  time  that  he  was  minister  of 
this  church.  Subsequently  he  became  pastor  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church  in  Reading,  Pa.,  which 
he  served  for  a  period  of  nearly  twenty-two  years. 
He  was  a  superior  linguist,  a  thoroughly  educated 
man,  and  an  active  and  faithful  minister  of  the 
Gospel.     He  died  in  1815,  amidst  the  deepest  sor- 


22  The  Presb})ierian  Church  of  Frankford 

row  of  the  people  to  whom  he  had  successfully  min- 
istered for  so  long  a  time. 

"  The  next  minister  who  officiated  in  the  German- 
town  and  Frankford  Churches  was  the  Rev.  Le- 
brecht  Frederick  Hermann.  His  ministry  com- 
menced here  about  1789  or  1790,  and  continued  for 
twelve  years.  In  many  respects  he  was  a  very 
remarkable  man.  He  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and 
the  last  of  the  German  missionaries  sent  over  to  this 
country  under  the  care  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam. 
After  leaving  his  charge  here  he  preached  in  various 
places  in  Chester,  Montgomery  and  Berks  Counties. 
No  less  than  five  of  his  sons  entered  the  ministry 
for  which  he  had  himself  prepared  them.  During 
many  of  the  last  years  of  his  life  he  was  blind.  He 
outlived  all  his  early  friends  and  fellow-laborers, 
and  died  in  1848  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  Among 
his  last  words  were :  '  It  is  well  with  me.  I  am 
nearing  heaven — my  body  is  very  weak,  and  will 
soon  be  dissolved;  but  Jesus,  my  Redeemer,  will 
construct  for  me  a  glorified  body  from  tliis  mass  of 
corruption.' 

"  The  last  of  the  German  ministers  who  officiated 
here  was  the  Rev.  John  William  Runkle.  He  was 
pastor  of  the  Germantown  Church,  but  preached 
regularly  here  from  the  1st  of  March,  1802,  for  a 
few  years,  until  the  church  passed  gradually  over  to 
the  Presbytery.  He  also  was  a  native  of  Germany, 
came  to  this  country  when  about  fifteen,  and  died 
in  1832,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  He  must  have 
been  a  man  of  decided  character,  as  has  been  de- 
scribed.   *  He  was  a  man  of  strong  physical  consti- 


Beginnings  23 

tution,  tall  and  raw-boned  in  person.  His  powers 
of  endurance  were  very  great.  He  was  venerable 
and  patriarchal  in  appearance,  excitable  in  temper, 
warm  in  preaching,  in  short,  a  "  son  of  thunder  ".' 
He  was  in  advance  of  his  time,  and  hence  regarded 
somewhat  as  a  fanatic.  His  preaching  was  evan- 
gelical, apt  in  illustration,  and  affectionate  in  appeal. 
He  ever  manifested  much  sympathy  towards  the 
suffering,  visiting  also  prisoners  and  those  under 
sentence  of  death.  Such  was  the  goodly  array  of 
men  of  God,  most  of  them  ministers  sent  from  a 
distant  land,  under  the  care  of  the  orthodox  and 
pious  Christians  of  Holland,  who  for  a  long  time 
ministered  in  this  venerable  church." 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  list  of  pastors  of 
the  Frankford  Church  during  the  first  thirty-two 
years  of  its  history,  is  identical  with  that  of  the 
German  Calvinistic,  or  Reformed  Church  in  Ger- 
mantown  during  the  same  period,  showing  that  the 
two  congregations  formed  one  parish.  The  latter 
became  the  Market  Square  Presbyterian  Church, 
whose  history,  like  that  of  its  sister  congregation, 
has  been  one  of  great  usefulness  and  power  in  pro- 
moting the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord. 

Very  little  is  known  concerning  the  events  in  the 
life  of  the  Frankford  Church  during  this  formative 
period.  Soon  after  the  first  building  was  erected, 
the  colonies  were  stirred  to  their  foundations  by  the 
oppression  of  George  the  Third,  who  had  succeeded 
to  the  British  throne  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty 
of  Paris,  which  marked  the  close  of  the  Seven 
Years'  War.    England  had  not  yet  realized  that  the 


24  The  Presb}}tenan  Church  of  Frankford 

French  and  Indian  War  had  transformed  a  nation 
of  civiHans  into  a  miHtary  organization  trained  with 
the  British  regulars  and  capable  of  defending  the 
rights  of  the  people.  It  had  produced  such  leaders 
as  Washington,  Gates,  Gage  and  Mercer,  and  they 
were  ready  to  withstand  by  force  of  arms  the  at- 
tempts to  exploit  the  colonies. 

One  of  the  most  influential  French  statesmen  of 
that  day,  with  prophetic  insight,  foresaw  the  conse- 
quences of  the  American  struggle,  when  he  said, 
"  England  will  ere  long  repent  of  having  removed 
the  only  check  that  could  keep  her  colonies  in  awe. 
They  no  longer  stand  in  need  of  her  protection. 
She  will  call  on  them  to  contribute  toward  support- 
ing the  burdens  they  have  helped  to  bring  upon  her, 
and  they  will  answer  by  striking  off  all  dependence." 
Thus  he  outlined  the  history  of  the  next  twenty 
years. 

Nothing  but  this  could  have  built  up  the  con- 
nection of  common  interest  and  the  realization  of 
the  strength  of  united  action.  For  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  the  great  forces  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion, the  locomotive,  the  telegraph,  and  the  daily 
newspaper  which  now  bind  together  one  hundred 
and  ten  millions  of  people  throughout  the  wide  ex- 
panse of  America,  were  then  unknown.  Means  of 
communication  and  transportation  were  very  primi- 
tive. It  took  seven  days  to  go  by  stage  from  Phila- 
delphia to  Pittsburgh,  four  days  from  Boston  to 
New  York,  and  when  the  stage  from  New  York  to 
Philadelphia  reduced  its  schedule  to  two  days,  it 
was  called  a  "  flying  machine  ".     In  winter  a  letter 


Beginnings  25 

would  be  five  weeks  in  traveling  from  Philadelphia 
to  Virginia.  The  newspapers  were  few,  and  con- 
tained little  news.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the 
reading  matter  in  all  the  forty  papers  which  existed 
at  the  time  when  the  Frankford  Church  was 
founded,  would  not  fill  ten  pages  of  a  modern  daily- 
newspaper. 

Philadelphia  in  those  days  was  a  city  of  about 
thirty  thousand.  Its  streets  were  unpaved.  Dr. 
Franklin  tells  us  that  looking  out  from  his  office 
window  he  daily  saw  horses  mired  in  the  mud. 
Street  illumination  was  unknown.  Leather  was  so 
dear  that  children  were  obliged  to  go  barefoot  most 
of  the  year.  Measures  for  sanitation  and  preven- 
tion of  disease  were  unknown.  If  sickness  broke 
out  in  a  family,  every  member  of  the  family  was 
stricken.  We  are  told  that  every  fifth  person  in 
Philadelphia  was  disfigured  with  smallpox.  In  in- 
tellectual New  England  the  schools  were  open  two 
months  in  winter  for  boys  and  two  months  in  sum- 
mer for  girls.  The  school  master's  principal  duty 
was  flogging.  One  writer  tells  that  he  was  unable  to 
get  a  problem  in  arithmetic  for  three  weeks,  and 
was  flogged  every  night  because  he  was  not  able  to 
solve  it. 

The  favorite  way  for  raising  money  was  the 
lottery.  Schools,  colleges  and  churches  were  built 
thereby.  State  legislatures  granted  lotteries  "  for 
the  advancement  of  religion  and  the  upbuilding  of 
churches  ".  The  library  of  Harvard  was  built  with 
lottery   money.     Princeton,   Columbia,   and  Union 


26  The  Presb\)terian  Church  of  Frankford 

thought  it  not  unwise  to  do  likewise.     New  York 
built  a  pest-house  and  a  jail  with  lottery  money. 

The  people  of  Philadelphia  dressed  in  the  English 
style  of  that  period.  The  gentlemen  of  that  period 
wore  bright  colored  and  highly  decorated  coats, 
three-cornered  hats,  ruffled  shirts  and  wrist-bands, 
knee  breeches,  silk  stockings,  low  shoes  and  silver 
buckles.  Every  one  wore  a  wig,  except  convicts  and 
slaves.  Boys,  servants,  Quakers,  even  paupers, 
wore  them.  In  a  newspaper  of  1767,  a  wig-maker 
advertised  that  he  was  prepared  to  provide  wigs  for 
all  classes  of  people  "  in  the  most  genteel  and  polite 
taste  ",  assuring  judges,  divines,  lawyers  and  phy- 
sicians "  because  of  the  importance  of  their  heads, 
that  he  can  assort  his  wigs  to  suit  their  respective 
occupation  and  inclinations."  He  announces  to  the 
ladies  that  he  can  furnish  them  with  "  a  nice,  easy, 
genteel  and  polite  construction  of  rolls  such  as  may 
tend  to  raise  their  heads  to  any  pitch  they  desire." 

The  storm  of  the  Revolution  broke  in  1772,  and 
during  the  years  that  followed,  until  the  adoption 
of  the  Constitution,  in  1789,  there  was  little  growth 
or  progress  in  church  life  and  work.  During  this 
period  the  Frankford  Church  was  used,  for  a  time, 
as  a  military  prison.  We  are  told  that  following 
the  battle  of  Trenton,  where  Washington  made  his 
midnight  attack  upon  the  Hessians,  he  sent  some  of 
his  prisoners  down  the  Delaware  River  and  across 
the  country  to  Frankford.  This  fact  is  interestingly 
attested  to  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Miller,  D.D.,  for 
many  years  the  beloved  Rector  of  St.  Mark's 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  who,  by  a  strange  co- 


Beginnings  2  7 

incidence,  secured  a  copy  of  a  journal  written  by  a 
Hessian  officer  which  had  been  found  in  Hesse 
Castle,  Germany.  This  officer  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Trenton  and  was  among  the  captured. 
He  records  the  fact  that  he  was  "  imprisoned  for 
a  time  in  a  little  village  called  Frankfort,  above 
Philadelphia." 

During  this  trying  era  the  church  suffered  a  loss 
in  the  membership  through  the  defection  of  a  num- 
ber of  German  families,  who  would  not  agree  to 
the  urgent  demands  of  the  younger  members  of  the 
congregation  for  services  in  English.  Preferring 
to  continue  their  worship  in  the  German  language, 
some  of  the  dissatisfied  older  members  joined  in 
establishing  a  Lutheran  Church. 

The  closing  years  of  the  eighteenth  century  were 
marked  by  a  widespread  indifference  toward  relig- 
ion. Church  life  was  at  a  low  ebb.  The  bitter  con- 
troversy that  arose  between  political  parties,  and 
leaders  in  the  early  days  of  the  Republic  found  its 
way  into  the  ranks  of  the  religious  forces.  The 
leading  pulpiteers  of  that  day  were  not  at  all  back- 
ward in  raising  their  voices  against  Adams  and 
Hamilton  and  other  Federalists,  openly  charging 
them  with  conspiracy  to  establish  a  monarchy. 
From  Jefferson's  election  they  seemed  to  anticipate 
the  utter  extermination  of  Christianity,  although  his 
benefactions  for  religious  purposes  were  well 
known.  His  diary  showed  the  sum  of  $978.20  given 
in  one  year  and  $1,585.60  in  another,  for  Bibles, 
missionaries,  chapels  and  other  Christian  work. 

The  church  in  Frankford  seems  to  have  suffered 


28  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

a  decline  during  this  period,  for  it  appears  to  have 
been  without  a  pastor  during  the  closing  years  of 
the  century,  and  its  membership  was  greatly  de- 
pleted. Doubtless  the  few  faithful  ones  found  it 
difficult  to  raise  sufficient  funds  to  maintain  regular 
services.  It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that 
by  this  time  a  new  generation  had  arisen,  which  was 
in  every  sense  American.  The  children  of  The 
original  German  settlers,  born  in  America,  some  of 
whom  had  fought  with  the  Continental  Army,  were 
absorbed  in  the  destinies  of  the  new  republic.  They 
spoke  English  and  cared  little  for  the  traditions 
which  were  so  sacred  to  their  fathers.  They  would 
not  attend  the  preaching  services  in  German,  and 
demanded  that  public  worship  be  conducted  in  the 
English  language.  The  original  members  would  not 
yield,  and  they  withstood  the  pressure  which  the 
younger  generation  brought  to  bear  upon  them,  even 
though  they  saw  the  church  for  which  they  had 
labored  and  sacrificed  so  much,  gradually  declining 
and  facing  almost  certain  dissolution. 

About  this  time,  also,  the  original  members  were 
greatly  discouraged  and  downcast,  because  the  con- 
vention of  the  Reformed  churches  in  Pennsylvania 
had  separated  from  the  mother  Church  in  Holland, 
declaring  independence  in  all  matters  pertaining  to 
the  welfare  of  the  various  congregations.  To  many 
of  the  saints  this  action  foreshadowed  certain  dis- 
aster to  the  churches  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
No  longer  would  they  receive  financial  aid  from 
Holland,  and  many  who  had  been  reared  under  the 
fostering  care  of  the  mother  church  had  little  confi- 


Beginnings  29 

dence  in  the  ability  of  the  American  churches  to 
sustain  themselves  without  her  assistance  and 
counsel. 

But  in  His  all-wise  providence,  God  preserved  a 
remnant  out  of  the  congregation,  who  looked  to- 
ward the  dawning  of  a  brighter  day,  when  the  walls 
of  Zion  would  be  repaired  and  when  they  would 
again  resound  with  hymns  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving. To  their  faith  we  owe  a  debt  of  deepest 
gratitude,  for  without  them  the  history  of  this  old 
church  of  which  we  are  justly  proud,  might  have 
closed  with  the  dying  century.  But  God  had  willed 
otherwise,  and  while  they  labored  and  prayed  and 
waited.  His  guiding  hand  was  preparing  other  forces 
through  whose  instrumentality  new  life  and  hope 
would  be  infused. 


The  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Biggs,  D.D. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  A  PRESBYTERIAN 
ORGANIZATION 

"  And  he  led  them  forth  by  the  right  way." 

From  1802  until  1809,  as  the  result  of  the  events 
recorded  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  church 
passed  through  the  most  critical  period  of  its 
history.  Although  it  retained  its  connection  with 
the  German  Reformed  body  until  1807,  it  was  served 
by  Presbyterian  ministers  as  a  mission  station  for 
five  years  previous  to  that  time.  Services  were 
held  but  once  a  month  in  the  English  language,  and 
the  church  building  was  leased  for  the  remaining 
Sabbaths  to  what  was  known  as  "  The  Church 
Company,"  which  evidently  was  a  federation  of 
other  denominations.  In  1805  this  lease  was  an- 
nulled, doubtless  as  a  result  of  renewed  interest 
being  developed,  and  the  accession  of  new  members. 
The  Rev.  John  William  Runkle  was  engaged  as  pul- 
pit supply  for  two  or  three  years  during  this  period 
of  the  church's  life.  About  1805  or  1806  the  pulpit 
was  frequently  supplied  by  a  Baptist  minister  named 
Allison,  who  had  charge  of  the  Erankford  Academy. 
He  preached  with  great  acceptance.  Later  he  was 
assisted  in  the  Academy  by  another  minister  of  the 
same  denomination,  Mr.  Montoney.  He  also  fre- 
quently preached  in  the  church.  Later  a  number  of 
persons  of  their  own  faith  united  with  them,  and  in 
1807  organized  a  Baptist  Church,  located  formerly 

31 


32  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

on  Pine  Street,  now  at  Paul  and  Unity  Streets, 
which  has  grown  and  prospered  until  the  present 
time. 

As  early  as  1802,  the  attention  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Philadelphia  was  attracted  to  the  opportunity  of 
extending  its  influence  by  encouraging  the  feeble 
organization  in  Frankford  and  reviving  the  faith  of 
those  who  had  fallen  away.  The  minutes  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  of  October  2,  1802, 
record  the  following  action :  "  It  was  represented 
that  there  are  many  people  in  the  town  of  Frankford 
who  are  destitute  of  the  privileges  of  the  gospel,  and 
who  are  desirous  of  receiving  it  from  the  ministers 
of  this  Presbytery.  And  it  was  therefore  ordered 
that  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Boyd,  MilldoUer,  Linn,  Potts 
and  Janeway,  each  supply,  said  people  two  Sabbaths 
before  the  next  stated  meeting  of  Presbytery,  and 
make  arrangements  among  them  for  that  purpose." 

It  was  not  until  1807,  however,  that  the  congrega- 
tion decided  formally  to  entrust  its  destinies  to  the 
Presbyterian  body.  Mr.  George  Castor  was  ap- 
pointed to  visit  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  at 
its  meeting  on  April  second,  to  make  application  to 
the  Presbytery  to  take  the  congregation  under  its 
care  and  supply  it  with  pastoral  oversight.  The 
Presbytery  gave  him  an  earnest  and  sympathetic 
hearing.  The  petition  presented  by  Mr.  Castor  was 
signed  by  thirty  families,  all  of  whom  pledged  them- 
selves to  be  governed  by  the  rules  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  to  be  faithful  to  its  doctrines. 
Arrangements  were  made  for  an  adjourned  meeting 
of   the   Presbytery   to  be  held   in   the   Frankford 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization   33 

Church  on  December  eighth  of  the  same  year,  to 
receive  it  as  a  Presbyterian  Church. 

It  was  well,  as  subsequent  events  proved,  that  this 
action  of  the  church  in  transferring  its  connection 
from  the  German  Reformed  to  the  Presbyterian 
body  was  unanimous,  and  that  it  was  afterward  es- 
tablished by  the  legislature.  Otherwise  there  might 
have  been  serious  legal  trouble  in  consequence  of 
the  law  forbidding  the  transfer  of  property  from 
one  denomination  to  another  if  there  be  even  one 
vote  in  opposition  to  it.  In  fact,  many  years  later, 
legal  investigations  actually  were  made  by  Germans 
(not  the  German  Reformed  Church),  and  action  in 
the  courts  was  not  instituted  simply  because  the 
original  action  of  the  church  was  in  strict  conform- 
ity with  the  law. 

During  this  period,  coincident  with  the  restoration 
of  regular  services,  the  old  building  was  repaired,  a 
new  roof  being  placed  upon  it,  and  the  rude  benches 
which  had  been  used  since  the  church's  organization 
in  1770,  replaced  by  the  more  modern  and  comfort- 
able pews. 

Attending  this  meeting  of  the  Presbytery,  and 
participating  in  the  exercises,  were  men  whose 
names  stand  out  prominently  in  the  history  of 
American  Presbyterianism,  the  Rev.  William  Ten- 
nent,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  Ashbel  Green,  D.D.,  the  Rev. 
Archibald  xA.lexander,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  Jacob  J.  Jane- 
way,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  WilHam  Latta,  D.D.,  and  the 
Rev.  George  C.  Potts,  D.D.  During  the  year  1808, 
and  until  June,  1809,  when  the  first  Presbyterian 
minister  was  installed,  every  one  of  these  men  sup- 


34  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

plied  the  pulpit  as  he  found  opportunity ;  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Tennent,  D.D.,  we  are  told,  preaching  twenty- 
one  Sabbaths. 

The  mention  of  these  names,  and  the  formal 
affiliation  of  the  church  with  the  JPresbyterian  body, 
brings  us  face  to  face  with  the  rise  and  develop- 
ment of  Presbyterianism  in  America.  The  history 
of  the  introduction  of  Presbyterianism  into  America 
is  of  special  interest  in  this  connection,  because  it 
was  under  Presbyterian  guidance  and  encourage- 
ment that  the  church  was  preserved  at  a  critical 
time.  As  a  Presbyterian  congregation  it  has  grown 
and  prospered,  its  work,  its  ministry  and  its  able 
leaders  bringing  it  into  a  position  of  prominence  and 
influence  which  comparatively  few  churches  have 
attained. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America  began  its  existence  through  the  labors  of 
the  Rev.  Francis  IVlackemie,  a  native  of  Rathmelton, 
Donegal  County,  Ireland.  Shortly  after  his  gradu- 
ation from  the  University  of  Glasgow,  the  Presby- 
tery in  Ireland,  which  licensed  him  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  received  an  application  from  the  colony  of 
Maryland  for  assistance  in  obtaining  a  minister. 

Many  of  the  settlers,  especially  on  the  Eastern 
Peninsula,  were  Presbyterians  from  Ireland,  Scot- 
land, and  England,  who  had  come  to  the  new  coun- 
try for  the  sake  of  the  religious  freedom  denied 
them  in  their  native  land.  The  application  was  from 
Colonel  William  Stevens,  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers, from  Buckinghamshire,  England,  judge  of  the 
Somerset  County  Court,  and  the  incumbent  of  other 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization   35 

high  offices  in  the  Province.  In  full  sympathy  with 
the  godly  people  whom  he  himself  had  invited  to  the 
country,  he  addressed  the  Presbytery,  laying  before 
them  the  needs  of  these  Presbyterian  exiles,  and 
begging  in  their  name  for  some  man  of  apostolic 
mould  to  minister  to  them.  The  appeal  struck  a 
responsive  chord  in  the  heart  of  young  Mackemie, 
and  he  was  designated  as  a  suitable  person  to  under- 
take this  mission.  Having  concluded  to  do  so,  he 
was  ordained  with  a  view  to  his  coming  to  America. 
After  preaching  for  a  while  in  Barbadoes  he  came 
to  this  country  and  settled  in  Maryland.  There  he 
organized  the  Presbyterian  Churches  at  Rehoboth 
and  Snow  Hill,  in  1683.  Thus,  under  the  tolerant 
laws  of  a  colony  founded  by  a  Roman  Catholic 
nobleman,  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  America 
began  its  existence. 

In  1692  Mr.  Mackemie  visited  Philadelphia  and 
planted  the  seeds  of  Presbyterianism  here.  Serious 
dissensions  among  the  Friends  had  opened  the  way 
for  the  commencement  of  services  of  Baptists, 
Episcopalians,  and  Presbyterians,  and  it  seems  more 
than  probable  that  Mr.  Mackemie,  during  his  visit, 
gathered  together  the  little  band  of  Presbyterians 
and  that  their  association  for  public  worship  may 
be  dated  from  that  time.  It  is  certain  that  five  years 
later,  in  1697,  a  congregation  of  Presbyterians,  in 
connection  with  the  Baptists,  was  meeting  in  a 
frame  building  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Second 
and  Chestnut  Streets.  The  Rev.  Jedediah  Andrews 
was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian congregation  in  1701. 


36  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

The  original  Presbytery  was  organized  in  the 
First  Church  edifice  in  the  spring  of  1706.  In  1716, 
the  mother  of  all  our  Presbyteries  assumed  the  name 
of  Synod.  It  was  the  first  purely  Presbyterian 
Synod  in  the  territory  of  the  United  States. 

The  growth  of  Presbyterianism  in  Philadelphia 
during  the  first  forty  years  of  the  eighteenth  century 
was  but  slow.  Several  times  it  received  aid  for  its 
support  from  abroad,  and  in  1737  the  Church  ob- 
tained a  grant  of  fifty  pounds  from  the  Synod  for 
the  purchase  of  a  graveyard.  The  growth  of  the 
city  itself  was  by  no  means  rapid.  In  1750  it  con- 
tained only  15,000  inhabitants,  and  Fourth  Street 
was  its  western  limit. 

Towards  the  middle  of  the  century  Presbyter- 
ianism received  a  new  impulse  from  a  large  immi- 
gration, and  also  from  the  remarkable  revival  that 
attended  the  labors  of  George  Whitefield.  The  in- 
flux from  abroad  was  wholly  Protestant  and  largely 
Presbyterian.  In  September,  1736,  one  thousand 
families  sailed  from  Belfast.  On  the  ninth  of  that 
month  one  hundred  Presbyterians  from  Ireland 
arrived  in  Philadelphia.  Others  followed  them  at 
intervals  during  the  succeeding  year.  The  state  of 
religion,  which  had  been  very  low,  was  greatly 
improved  before  the  arrival  of  Whitefield.  But  his 
labors  gave  it  a  new  impulse.  Not  infrequently 
congregations  numbering  from  5,000  to  10,000 
people  listened  to  the  words  of  the  great  preacher. 
Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin  tells  us  that  "  from  thought- 
lessness, or  indifference  about  religion,  it  seems  as 
if  all  the  world  were  growing  rehgious,  so  that  one 


The  Development  of  a  Presh^ierian  Organization   37 

could  not  walk  through  the  streets  of  an  evening 
without  hearing  psalms  sung  in  different  families 
in  every  street." 

The  Second  Church  was  organized  in  1743,  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Gilbert  Tennent. 

During  the  second  half  of  the  eighteenth  century 
only  two  churches  were  formed  in  connection  with 
the  Philadelphia  Presbytery — the  Third  Church  in 
1762,  and  the  Fourth  Church  in  1799.  Meanwhile 
the  one  Presbytery  of  1706  had  grown  into  sixteen, 
and  the  one  Synod  of  1716  into  four;  and  on  the 
21st  day  of  May,  1789,  the  first  General  Assembly 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  consisting  of  thirty-one  Commissioners 
(twenty-one  ministers  and  ten  elders)  duly  ap- 
pointed by  their  respective  Presbyteries,  met  and 
was  constituted  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Philadelphia. 

Thus,  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  there 
were  in  Philadelphia  four  churches  in  connection 
with  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America.  In  this 
city  during  that  century  was  formed  the  first  Pres- 
bytery in  1706,  its  first  Synod  met  in  1717,  and  its 
first  General  Assembly  in  1789. 

It  is  noteworthy,  and  significant  of  the  missionary 
zeal  and  of  the  broad  spirit  of  catholicity  which  has 
always  characterized  the  Presbyterian  denomination, 
that  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  should  have 
been  willing  to  provide  the  Frankford  community 
and  church  with  ministerial  oversight  during  five 
years  while  it  retained  its  connection  with  the  Ger- 


38  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

man  Reformed  Classis.  It  was  purely  a  missionary 
venture  based  upon  a  recognition  of  an  obligation 
which  came  from  a  knowledge  of  a  need  which  no 
one  else  seemed  to  be  able  to  supply.  This  unselfish 
spirit  of  service,  regardless  of  denominational 
prestige,  or  aggrandizement,  has  ever  been  the  dis- 
tinguishing virtue  of  Presbyterianism  in  America. 
Her  ready  and  liberal  response  to  every  known  need 
pertaining  to  any  branch  of  the  Kingdom's  interests 
is  recognized  and  appreciated  by  all  Christendom. 

Lest  it  may  seem  to  have  been  a  capricious  act 
upon  the  part  of  the  congregation  that  composed  the 
Frankford  Church  at  this  period,  to  sever  its  con- 
nection with  the  German  Reformed  Church,  which 
had  been  maintained  through  a  period  of  thirty- 
seven  years,  it  should  be  clearly  understood  that  by 
this  act,  not  one  principle  of  faith  or  polity  upon 
which  the  church  was  founded,  was  violated.  The 
Reformed  churches  are  all  Presbyterian  in  their 
form  of  government,  and  the  shades  of  difference 
in  matters  of  doctrine  are  unimportant.  In  essen- 
tials they  have  always  been  united.  Negotiations 
have  been  in  progress  for  several  years  looking 
toward  the  organic  union  of  these  two  ecclesiastical 
bodies. 

Knowing  something  of  the  character  of  the  men 
who  were  the  leaders  of  the  Frankford  Church  in 
these  early  days,  we  may  be  assured  that  the  transfer 
of  their  ecclesiastical  affiliation  was  by  no  means  a 
hasty  action.  Doubtless  some  were  slow  to  approve 
the  change,  and  we  can  readily  believe  that  those 
who  favored  it  were  called  upon  to  exercise  all  their 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  39 

powers  of  persuasion,  with  much  tact  and  patience, 
to  convince  certain  of  the  older  members  that  the 
interests  of  the  Kingdom  would  be  advanced  by 
concurring  with  them  in  presenting  a  unanimous 
petition  to  the  Presbytery. 

The  elders  of  the  church  at  this  period  were  Jacob 
Gransback,  Rudolph  Neff,  Conrad  Axe  and  George 
Castor.  Philip  Buckius  and  Caleb  Earle  were  added 
to  the  Session  during  the  year  of  transition.  There 
were  three  deacons :  John  Myers,  Daniel  Peltz  and 
Henry  Castor,  who  served  until  1802.  The  trustees 
were  John  Rohrer,  Rudolph  Neff,  Frederick  Castor, 
Joseph  Dearman,  Jacob  Bener,  Philip  Buckius, 
Stephen  Decatur,  Benjamin  Fisher,  George  Castor, 
Jacob  Myers,  Jacob  Mower,  John  H.  Worrell, 
Thomas  Horton,  Frederick  Teese,  John  Buckius, 
George  C.  Troutman,  Henry  Retzer,  Jacob  Harper 
and  Ezra  Bowin.  The  names  are  recorded  in  the 
order  of  their  election.  George  Castor  was  the 
President  and  Treasurer  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 
Jacob  Deal  was  the  only  one  holding  the  office  of 
deacon  from  1802  until  1809. 

Among  the  members  of  the  congregation,  besides 
the  officers  whose  names  are  recorded,  were  the 
family  of  Colonel  Patton,  who  was  then  the  Post- 
master of  Philadelphia,  having  received  his  ap- 
pointment from  President  George  Washington; 
Enoch  Edwards,  brother  of  the  younger  Jonathan 
Edwards ;  and  the  parents  of  the  naval  hero  Commo- 
dore Stephen  Decatur,  whose  residence  was  but  a 
short  distance  from  the  church,  on  the  highway 
which  later  was  known  as  Powder  Mill  Lane;  and 


40  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Fran^ford 

there  were  others  whose  descendants  have  figured 
prominently  in  professional  careers  and  in  the 
social  and  business  life  of  the  city  through  succeed- 
ing generations. 

May  we  not  imagine  ourselves  attending  a  Sab- 
bath morning  service  during  these  days  of  renewed 
interest  in  the  church's  welfare?  We  enter  the 
church  grounds  through  a  gate,  and  pass  beneath 
the  elm  saplings  that  had  recently  been  transplanted 
from  the  woods  near  Milestown.  As  we  approach 
the  door  of  the  sacred  edifice  we  are  greeted  by  the 
familiar  figure  of  George  Rohrer,  who  faithfully 
performed  the  office  of  sexton  for  nineteen  years, 
from  1799  to  1818.  We  take  our  seat  upon  the 
backless  pine  benches,  which  had  never  known 
paint  or  upholstery.  The  walls  are  colored  with  a 
blue  wash,  which  has  faded  to  a  pale  tone.  Before 
us  stands  the  small,  barrel-shaped  pulpit  elevated 
high  above  the  people,  near  the  ceiling,  and  reached 
by  a  single  flight  of  steep  and  narrow  steps.  From 
it,  on  either  side,  extend  elevated  seats  which  are 
occupied  by  the  officers  of  the  church,  after  the 
custom  of  those  days.  At  the  opposite  end  of  the 
room  is  a  small  gallery  which  accommodates  the 
choir.  Two  huge  coal  stoves  are  placed  at  opposite 
ends  of  the  room  to  combat  the  winter  blasts,  one 
of  them  being  elevated  upon  a  table  in  the  middle 
aisle,  but  a  few  feet  from  the  preacher,  doubtless 
out  of  consideration  for  the  people  in  the  pews  and 
for  the  preacher's  comfort  as  well.  From  the  center 
of  the  ceiling  a  heavy  iron  rod  supports  a  glass 
chandelier,   equipped   with   candles,   to   furnish   il- 


The  Development  of  a  Presh'^tenan  Organization  41 

lumination  for  the  evening  services,  supplemented 
by  small  tin  sconces  hung  upon  the  side  walls  which 
also  were  provided  with  sperm  candles,  their  com- 
bined power  furnishing  but  a  very  poor  light. 

At  the  front  of  the  church  stands  the  communion 
table,  a  small  stand,  the  top  of  which  was  about  two 
feet  square,  and  as  it  was  not  high  enough  when 
standing  on  its  own  proper  legs  to  reach  the  top  of 
the  chancel  enclosure  in  which  the  minister  stood 
while  administering  the  ordinance,  there  were  four 
sticks  provided  which  were  tied  to  the  legs  of  the 
table,  by  which  a  cubit  or  two  was  added  to  its 
stature.  For  many  years  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  on  this  sacred  spot, 
with  just  as  great  solemnity  and  impressiveness  as 
in  the  more  recent  days  under  more  favorable  cir- 
cumstances. The  tankard,  goblets  and  plates  were 
made  of  pewter,  antique  style,  probably  brought 
from  Germany  or  Switzerland. 

The  men  are  seated  on  one  side  of  the  sanctuary 
and  the  women  on  the  other.  The  service  begins 
with  a  song  of  praise  led  by  Mr.  Andrew  Lockey, 
a  Scotchman  who  stands  beneath  the  pulpit,  with  a 
table  before  him,  obtaining  the  pitch  of  the  tune  with 
his  tuning  fork,  and  lining  out  the  Psalms  from  the 
ancient  Psalmody,  as  paraphrased  by  the  greatest 
hymn  writer  of  all  ages,  Isaac  Watts.  The  service 
proceeds  in  a  dignified  and  reverential  spirit,  con- 
cluding with  a  sermon  of  at  least  an  hour  in  length, 
a  learned  discourse  on  a  theological  theme  such  as 
was  expected  of  the  preacher  of  that  period.  Such 
was  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford  as  our 
forefathers  knew  it. 


42  The  Preshyierian  Church  of  Frankford 

THE  FRANKFORD  ACADEMY 

It  is  significant  also  that  contemporaneous  with 
the  passing  of  the  church  under  Presbyterian  con- 
trol, the  subject  of  education  should  immediately 
present  itself  for  consideration.  As  the  ministers 
of  Philadelphia  Presbytery  visited  Frankford  from 
time  to  time  to  occupy  the  pulpit  during  the  years 
previous  to  1807,  they  were  doubtless  impressed  by 
the  fine  company  of  children  and  youth  in  the  com- 
munity who  were  without  any  means  of  acquiring 
an  education.  There  were  no  public  schools  at  that 
time,  all  the  educational  facilities  that  were  available 
being  under  the  supervision  of  religious  bodies. 

Here  again  we  may  digress  briefly  to  refer  to  the 
influence  of  Presbyterianism  upon  the  development 
of  popular  education.  "Of  the  seven  ministers  of 
the  original  Presbytery,  six  were  graduates  of  uni- 
versities and  colleges.  The  interest  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  education,  however,  was  not  solely 
because  of  its  belief  in  an  educated  ministry. 
Presbyterians  taught  by  the  Holy  Scriptures  make 
religion  a  personal  matter,  not  between  a  man  and 
the  Church,  but  between  the  individual  soul  and 
God,  and  this  necessitates  personal  knowledge  on  the 
part  of  human  beings  of  God's  Word,  God's  law  for 
human  life.  Education  in  religious  truth  is  there- 
fore a  cardinal  principle  for  Presbyterians,  and  the 
steps  are  easy  and  swift  to  secular  and  popular  edu- 
cation. This  logical  connection  between  Calvinism 
and  education  is  recognized  by  Bancroft,  who  says 
Calvin  was  the  first  founder  of  the  public-school 


The  Development  of  a  Presby^terian  Organization  43 

system.  It  is  also  shown  by  the  history  of  academic 
and  popular  education.  Presbyterian  Scotland  es- 
tablished the  first  schools  for  popular  education. 
Harvard  and  Yale  universities  were  founded  by  men 
who  believed  in  the  Westminster  Confession.  The 
Presbyterian  Synod  itself  founded  the  Log  College 
and  its  successor,  Princeton  University.  Education 
is  one  of  the  foundation  stones  of  both  Church  and 
nation.  Then  honor  to  whom  honor  is  due.  Honor 
to  the  men  who  believed  in  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession, who  under  its  influence  built  colleges  rather 
than  cathedrals,  and  who  believed  both  in  educated 
ministers  and  an  educated  people  !"* 

It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  one  of  the  first 
acts  of  the  church  after  its  adoption  into  the  Presby- 
terian family,  was  to  purchase  (in  1808)  the  build- 
ing known  as  the  Frankford  Academy,  for  the  sum 
of  two  thousand  dollars.  This  was  accomplished 
not  without  sacrifice,  but  it  is  an  indication  of  the 
new  spirit  of  activity  which  had  taken  possession  of 
the  church  upon  its  entrance  into  this  new  period 
of  its  history. 

The  Frankford  Academy  had  its  beginnings  in 
1768  when  William  Ashbridge,  Rudolph  Neff  and 
Isaiah  Worrell,  as  trustees  of  a  fund  raised  by  the 
people  of  Frankford  for  the  erection  of  a  school, 
purchased  a  piece  of  ground  at  Wain  and  Spring 
Streets,  upon  which  a  school,  afterwards  known  as 
the  Spring  House  School,  was  erected.  In  1799  the 
property  was  transferred  to  the  Friends  Society,  the 

*  Concise  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Roberts. 


44  The  Presb])ienan  Church  of  Frankiord 

sum  of  %ZZ7  being  paid  to  those  not  belonging  to  the 
Friends,  representing  the  proportion  of  their  inter- 
est. This  money  was  apphed  toward  the  purchase 
of  a  lot  on  Paul's  Lane,  on  the  site  where  the 
Rehoboth  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  later 
erected.  A  building  was  erected  in  which  school 
was  held  on  the  second  floor.  It  was  chartered  in 
1800  as  the  Frankford  Academy.  The  building  was 
used  also  for  a  town  hall  and  a  portion  of  it  as  a  jail. 

In  1808  the  title  to  the  property  was  transferred 
to  the  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  has 
already  been  stated.  The  church  continued  to  sup- 
port it  until  1830,  when  it  was  sold  to  Robert  and 
Samuel  Huckel,  who,  in  turn,  sold  it  to  the  society 
afterward  organized  as  the  Rehoboth  Church.  It 
has  been  described  as  a  substantial  stone  building 
with  a  piazza  along  its  entire  front  and  in  later 
years  with  a  neat  cupola  on  its  northern  end,  fur- 
nished with  a  bell.  In  this  Academy  Stephen  De- 
catur received  most  of  his  education.  Frankford 
and  the  vicinity  were  indebted  to  it  as  their  principal 
place  of  learning  for  a  long  time.  In  that  academy 
many  of  the  earlier  residents  of  Frankford  received 
that  education,  which  but  for  the  nurturing  of  this 
Church,  they  would  never  have  reached.  This 
acknowledgment  is  due  to  the  wisdom  and  foresight 
of  the  fathers.  And  it  was  at  great  sacrifice  that 
the  Church  maintained  its  academy.  The  support 
of  the  Church  itself  does  not  seem  to  have  occupied 
more  of  the  care  and  struggles  of  the  trustees  than 
did  the  welfare  of  their  academy. 

It  was  a  joyful  occasion  when,  on  July  8,  1809, 


The  Development  of  a  Presby^terian  Organization  45 

the  first  pastor,  Rev.  John  Whitefield  Doak,  was 
installed.  The  Rev.  Jacob  L.  Janeway,  D.D.,  pre- 
sided at  this  service,  the  Rev.  James  Wilson,  D.D., 
preached  the  sermon,  and  the  Rev.  William  M.  Ten- 
nent,  D.D.,  delivered  the  charge  to  both  the  pastor 
and  people.  For  the  first  time  in  its  history  the 
church  now  had  a  pastor  of  its  own  who  would 
devote  his  entire  time  to  the  cultivation  of  this 
parish.  Mr.  Doak  was  a  young  man,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Doak,  D.D.,' 
a  noted  Presbyterian  minister  who,  after  preaching 
the  Gospel  for  several  years  in  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina,  settled  in  Washington  County,  Tennessee, 
where  he  erected  a  log  house  for  educational  pur- 
poses, at  the  same  time  establishing  the  Salem  Pres- 
byterian Church,  which  remains  until  the  present 
day.  The  educational  institution  which  he  estab- 
lished, Washington  College,  was  the  first  effort  in 
that  direction  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  Dr. 
Doak  presided  over  it  from  1785  until  1818,  when 
he  moved  to  Bethel  and  opened  another  school 
which  he  called  Tusculum  Academy,  which  has  con- 
tinued through  all  the  years  as  an  institution  for  the 
preparation  of  young  men  for  the  Gospel  ministry, 
hundreds  having  been  sent  forth  to  break  the  Bread 
of  Life  to  hungering  souls. 

Mr.  Doak,  who  was  called  to  the  Frankford 
Church,  had  served  the  churches  in  New  Dublin  and 
Wytheville,  Virginia,  and  at  Mount  Bethel  and 
Providence,  in  Tennessee,  before  coming  to  Frank- 
ford.  He  came  north  to  raise  funds  for  Washington 
College.     While  in  Philadelphia  he  was  given  an 


46  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

opportunity  to  preach  in  this  pulpit  a  number  of 
times,  resulting  in  a  unanimous  call  to  become  the 
pastor.  During  his  pastorate  the  church  grew  and 
prospered. 

Under  his  leadership  the  congregation  soon  out- 
grew the  small  building  which  was  erected  in  1770 
for  the  little  company  who  composed  the  church's 
membership  at  that  early  period.  After  much  de- 
liberation, the  congregation  resolved,  at  a  meeting 
held  on  August  28,  1809,  to  undertake  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  old  structure.  Contributions  were  so- 
licited, not  only  among  the  members  of  the  church, 
but  throughout  the  community,  and  the  response  was 
most  gratifying.  When  a  sufficient  amount  had 
been  subscribed,  after  a  year  of  earnest  effort,  the 
work  was  begun,  the  building  being  lengthened, 
and  the  side  walls  extended  forty  feet.  Thus 
the  seating  capacity  of  the  church  was  more  than 
doubled.  Among  the  long  list  of  subscribers  to 
this  enterprise  were  Ann  Decatur,  John  McAllister, 
Joseph  Wigfall,  Mary  Baker,  John  McMullen, 
George  Onyx,  Jacob  Fraley,  Yost  Yonker,  Robert 
Ralston,  Abraham  Kintzing,  Abram  Duffield,  Sam- 
uel Wakeling,  Anthony  Kennedy,  Rebecca  Neff, 
Alexander  Martin,  Robert  Patton,  Derick  Peterson, 
Rachel  Wetherill  and  Colonel  James  Burn.  The 
Building  Committee  consisted  of  George  Castor, 
Joseph  Dearman  and  John  H.  Worrell.  The  car- 
penter work  was  done  by  Henry  Retzer,  and  the 
mason  work  by  Jacob  Deal,  whose  son  Charles, 
fifty  years  later,  built  the  present  edifice. 

The  first  person  admitted  into  the  church  mem- 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  47 

bership  under  Mr.  Doak's  ministry  was  the  mother 
of  Commodore  Decatur.  Six  new  elders  were 
elected  during  this  pastorate,  Robert  Smith,  Samuel 
W.  Doak  (a  brother  of  the  minister)  and  Jacob 
Myers,  in  1810;  Edward  Gilfillen,  M.D.,  William 
Nassau  and  Captain  Jacob  Peterson  in  1812.  The 
music  of  the  church  was  in  charge  of  Joseph  R. 
Dickson,  who  was  succeeded  in  1810  by  Samuel 
White,  who  held  the  office  of  chorister  for  one  year, 
after  which  John  G.  Teese  was  elected,  continuing 
until  the  installation  of  Mr.  Doak's  successor. 
Probably  the  most  important  events  in  Mr.  Doak's 
ministry  were  the  organization  of  the  Sunday-school 
in  May,  1815,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  church 
building,  but  within  the  short  space  of  seven  years 
he  was  obliged  to  resign  because  of  impaired  health. 
The  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  August  28,  1816. 
Returning  to  the  hills  of  his  native  State,  his  phys- 
ical vigor  was  restored  and  he  took  up  the  study  of 
medicine,  becoming  a  physician,  greatly  beloved, 
besides  preaching  as  stated  supply  in  the  churches 
at  Salem  and  Leesburg,  where  his  father  had 
labored. 

In  1818,  upon  the  retirement  of  his  father  from 
the  Presidency  of  Washington  College,  the  Rev. 
"Johnny"  W.  Doak  (as  he  was  familiarly  called, 
and  as  his  name  is  recorded  in  the  Minutes  of  the 
General  Assembly)  was  called  to  succeed  him.  He 
served  but  two  years.  While  on  his  way  to  attend 
the  meeting  of  his  Presbytery  he  was  suddenly 
stricken  and  died  of  consumption,  a  disease  from 
which  he  had  suffered  for  many  years. 


48  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Mr.  Doak  was  married  in  1809  to  Miss  Jane  H. 
Alexander,  a  half-sister  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Archibald 
Alexander's  father.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
them,  one  of  them,  Archibald  Alexander  Doak,  be- 
coming a  very  successful  minister  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

The  funeral  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  Stephen 
Bovell,  D.D.,  refers  to  Dr.  Doak  in  these  words : 
"  As  to  his  natural  genius,  it  is  well  known  to  have 
been  much  above  mediocrity.  His  understanding 
was  clear,  his  invention  quick,  his  judgment  pene- 
trating, and  accurate,  his  conceptions  of  religious 
subjects  sublime,  and  his  manner  of  expression  ele- 
gant, solemn  and  usually  impressive.  In  the  pulpit 
he  was  fervent,  zealous  and  animated,  speaking  the 
truth  in  love,  and  warning  all  with  the  greatest 
earnestness  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to 
embrace  the  hope  of  mercy,  while  mercy  may  be 
obtained." 

Mr.  Doak  died  in  October,  1820,  at  the  age  of 
forty-two. 

For  more  than  a  year  after  the  departure  of  Mr. 
Doak  the  church  was  without  a  regular  pastor. 
During  this  period  the  church  was  supplied  by  Dr. 
Snowden,  Dr.  Rogers,  Dr.  Janeway,  Dr.  Neill,  Dr. 
Belville  and  other  prominent  members  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Philadelphia.  From  among  the  candidates 
who  were  considered,  the  congregation  finally  united 
in  the  choice  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Biggs,  D.D., 
who  was  installed  November  10,  1818.  Dr.  Biggs 
was  a  man  of  ripe  scholarship  and  unusual  pulpit 
power.    He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  November  29, 


The  Development  of  a  Presh^^terian  Organization  49 

1787,  and  reared  in  the  Old  Pine  Street  Presbyterian 
Church  under  the  pastorate  of  the  noted  Rev. 
Archibald  Alexander,  D.D.,  graduated  from  the 
College  of  New  Jersey  in  1815,  entering  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary  the  same  year.  He  was  li- 
censed to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia 
in  1817,  ordained  November  10,  1818,  and  on  the 
same  date  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  Frankford 
Church.  Upon  this  occasion  also.  Dr.  Janeway  pre- 
sided, the  sermon  being  preached  by  Dr.  William 
Neill,  and  the  charges  to  pastor  and  people  delivered 
by  the  Rev.  George  A.  Potts. 

Concerning  the  life  of  Dr.  Biggs,  we  are  fortunate 
in  having  preserved  the  address  delivered  by  his 
friend  and  classmate,  the  Rev.  Charles  Hodge,  D.D., 
LL.D.,  the  celebrated  theologian,  at  the  Centennial 
of  the  church's  history  in  1870.  In  the  course  of 
his  reminiscences  of  Dr.  Biggs  he  said :  "  It  was  in 
the  year  1812,  in  the  sophomore  recitation  room  of 
Princeton  College,  the  roll  of  the  class  graduating 
1815  was  first  called.  At  that  period  in  the  history 
of  the  college  there  was  no  freshman, — or  none  to 
speak  of.  Allen,  Baker,  Biggs, — names  familiar 
from  1836  to  1840 — constituting  the  class,  of  whom 
much  less  than  half,  probably  not  more  than  one- 
third  still  live.  As  might  have  been  expected  there 
was  a  great  diversity  in  the  age  and  degrees  of 
preparation  for  the  college  course  among  the  mem- 
bers of  this  class.  Dr.  Biggs  was  one  of  the  oldest 
and  one  of  the  best-prepared  for  the  curriculum 
upon  which  he  was  about  to  enter,  and  was  very 
well  qualified  to  teach  the  rest  of  us.     Almost  all 


50  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

were  so  much  below  him  in  the  standard  of 
preparation  for  college  that  he  was  well  qualified  to 
be  our  tutor. 

"  His  associates  in  the  class  of  1815,  many  of 
them,  have  become  more  or  less  known  to  the 
church  as  preachers  of  the  gospel.  It  was  during 
the  last  winter  of  connection  in  college — the  winter 
of  1815 — that  that  revival  of  religion  within  the 
walls  of  Nassau  Hall  occurred,  which  is,  perhaps, 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  that  has  ever  been 
known  in  the  history  of  the  college.  I  believe  at 
least  twenty  ministers  were  the  fruits  of  that  re- 
vival. Twenty  young  men  from  the  number  of  those 
then  gathered  into  the  church  consecrated  them- 
selves to  the  service  of  Christ  in  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation.  Dr.  Biggs,  however,  and  his  room- 
mate, the  Rev.  Daniel  Baker,  had  long  been  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  and  it  was  largely  to  their  in- 
fluence, to  the  wisdom  of  their  counsels,  to  the 
fidelity  of  their  admonition,  to  the  assiduity  of  their 
efforts,  that  that  work  of  grace  was,  under  God,  so 
successfully  carried  on.  I  wish  I  could  summon 
around  me  some  of  the  men  who  were  then  in  col- 
lege, and  ask  them  if  they  could  not  remember  the 
room  of  Biggs  and  Baker  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  that  college  building.  That  room  is  consecrated 
in  the  memory  of  many  yet  living.  There,  night 
after  night,  we  young  men  bowed  down  with  broken 
hearts  and  subdued  souls,  bathed  in  tears,  struggling 
for  eternal  life;  and  those  men,  afterwards  so 
prominent  in  the  history  of  the  church,  were  all  to 
guide,  to  admonish,  to  point  to  Christ  and  bid  no 
man  despair  since  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  had  died." 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  5 1 

Among  the  classmates  of  Dr.  Biggs  were  others 
whose  names  are  indelibly  inscribed  on  the  records 
of  American  Protestantism,  all  of  whom  contributed 
in  a  large  way  toward  the  growth  and  extension  of 
the  Kingdom's  influence,  such  as  the  Rev.  Daniel 
Baker,  D.D.,  one  of  the  most  successful  and  widely 
known  evangelists  of  the  Presbyterian  denomina- 
tion ;  and  the  Rev.  Bishop  John  Johns,  of  the  diocese 
of  Virginia,  who  was  known  as  one  of  the  most 
scholarly  men  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  faith  in 
America. 

The  pastorate  of  Doctor  Biggs,  covering  a  period 
of  thirteen  years,  until  1831,  was  marked  by  a  sub- 
stantial increase  in  membership,  both  of  the  congre- 
gation and  Sunday-school,  and  by  a  widening  of  the 
church's  activity  and  influence. 

Three  years  after  entering  upon  his  ministry  in 
Frankford,  Dr.  Biggs  married  Rebecca  Neff,  the 
grand-daughter  of  Rudolph  Neff,  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  the  church.  The  wedding  took  place  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  1820.  The  bridal  party  was  composed  of 
Miss  Mary  Neff,  Miss  Castor,  a  daughter  of  George 
Castor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Hodge,  of  Princeton, 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Steele,  of  Abington,  Pennsylvania. 
Six  children  were  bom  to  them  while  residing  in 
Frankford,  one  of  whom,  Henry  W.  Biggs,  became 
a  Presbyterian  minister,  being  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  for  many  years. 
From  1828  to  1831  Doctor  Biggs  was  a  Director  of 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary. 

During  his  ministry  the  following  elders  were 
elected:  Roderick  Adams,  in  1820;  William  Gibson, 


52  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Christopher  Coon,  Thomas  D.  Mitchell,  M.D.,  in 
1829;  Alfred  Jenks  and  George  T.  McCalmont,  in 
1830, 

Doctor  Biggs  resigned  his  charge  at  Frankford  to 
accept  the  professorship  of  Ecclesiastical  History 
and  Church  Polity  in  Lane  Theological  Seminary, 
which  had  just  been  established  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
an  endowment  having  been  provided  for  this  chair 
upon  the  condition  that  he  be  chosen  to  fill  it.  He 
continued  his  connection  with  Lane  Seminary  for 
seven  years.  In  1839  he  became  the  President  of 
Cincinnati  College,  where  he  remained  until  1845, 
when  he  accepted  the  Presidency  of  Woodward  Col- 
lege, in  the  same  city,  continuing  in  that  office  until 
1851.  During  his  residence  in  Cincinnati  Dr.  Biggs 
ministered  to  the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
later  to  the  wealthy  and  influential  Walnut  Hills 
Presbyterian  Church.  Upon  retiring  from  his  edu- 
cational work  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
Fifth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cincinnati,  which  he 
served  for  four  years.  In  1864  he  passed  to  his 
eternal  rest,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven. 

The  noble  character  and  useful  life  of  Dr.  Biggs 
is  best  described  in  the  tribute  of  appreciation, 
uttered  by  his  friend.  Bishop  Mcllvaine,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  diocese  of  Ohio,  upon  the 
occasion  of  his  funeral :  "  I  have  known  the  deceased 
for  fifty  years.  I  entered  the  college  of  New  Jersey 
in  1814.  The  first  time  I  saw  him  was  when  he 
came  forward  in  the  chapel  to  lead  the  singing, 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  do.  Dr.  Green  was 
then  President  of  the  college.     The  students  were 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  53 

generally  irreligious,  and  opposed  and  persecuted 
the  few  who  professed  religion.  The  latter,  only 
twelve  or  thirteen  in  number,  one  of  whom  was 
young  Biggs,  were  very  faithful.  They  were  ac- 
customed to  meet  every  evening  at  nine  o'clock  for 
prayer  in  the  room  of  one  of  their  number,  and  in 
these  meetings  they  prayed  earnestly  for  a  revival 
of  religion  in  the  college.  Prior  to  this  there  had 
never  been  a  revival  of  religion  in  the  college,  and  it 
required  great  faith  to  expect  it.  At  length,  in  an- 
swer to  prayer,  the  Spirit  of  God  was  poured  out,  so 
that  in  two  or  three  days  the  largest  room  in  the  col- 
lege was  filled  with  the  previously  irreligious,  asking 
for  the  prayers  of  the  pious.  The  twelve  or  thirteen 
were  now  fully  occupied  in  ministering  to  their  fel- 
low-students. The  first  prayer  meeting  I  ever  at- 
tended was  in  the  room  of  young  Biggs  and  Daniel 
Baker.  Many  were  brought  into  the  kingdom  in 
connection  with  this  revival.  A  beautiful  trait  in  his 
character  was  the  largeness  of  his  Christian  regards. 
He  was  beautiful  too  in  his  faith,  and  the  joyfulness 
of  his  hope.  He  never  seemed  to  see  God  in  the  pil- 
lar of  cloud,  but  always  in  the  pillar  of  light.  Christ 
was  so  near  to  him  that  he  felt  no  doubts.  Great 
lovingness  of  mind  and  heart  characterized  him  be- 
yond what  is  usual.  It  beamed  from  his  counten- 
ance, it  spoke  from  his  voice,  and  was  expressed  in 
his  whole  manner.  He  must  have  been  useful,  as 
he  was." 

The  Trustees  of  the  Frankford  Church  during 
the  pastorates  of  Mr.  Doak  and  Dr.  Biggs  were 
George  Wilson,  Edward  McVaugh,  Adam  Baker, 


54  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Jacob  Peterson,  Edward  Gilfillen,  M.D.,  Jacob  Deal, 
Dr.  William  Hurst,  Lewis  Wurnwag,  Peter  Brous, 
George  Haines,  Henry  Rohrer,  Conrad  Baker, 
Robert  Worrell,  Hugh  McKinley,  Henry  Castor, 
Danfrith  Woolwurth,  Daniel  Thomas,  Jacob  Myers, 
Abraham  Tenbrook,  John  R.  Neff,  Benjamin  A. 
Prentiss,  Joseph  Pierson,  Captain  William  Hess, 
Joseph  Wigfall,  Jacob  Coates,  Peter  Buckius,  Gard- 
ner Fulton,  James  Tatham,  John  G.  Teese  (who 
long  and  faithfully  filled  that  office — the  latter  part 
of  his  Hfe  President  of  the  Board),  Dr.  John  White, 
xA^braham  Yonker,  Conrad  Fries,  Roderick  Adams, 
Samuel  Wakeling,  Samuel  Castor,  Dr.  Thomas  D. 
Mitchell,  Joseph  Allen,  William  Gibson,  Bela 
Badger,  John  Wilen,  Charles  Dewees,  Rudolph 
Buckius,  George  K.  Budd,  Adam  Slater  and  Alfred 
Jenks. 

When  Dr.  Biggs  became  the  pastor  Mr.  Jesse  Y. 
Castor  was  elected  to  the  position  of  chorister, 
which  he  held  for  three  years,  until  1821.  During 
that  time  he  organized  the  Harmonic  Society,  a 
singing  school  of  the  old  time  character,  whose 
meetings  were  held  around  the  huge  stove  in  the 
church  auditorium,  and  which  was  continued  for 
many  years  by  those  who  succeeded  him.  Under 
his  leadership  the  first  choir  was  organized  out  of 
this  singing  school.  James  Seddins  became  the 
musical  director  in  1821  and  performed  acceptable 
service  until  1827,  when  Dr.  Thomas  D.  Mitchell, 
one  of  the  elders,  assumed  this  laborious  task. 
Shortly  afterward  William  Gibson  was  placed  in 
charge  and  continued  until   1833.     Jacob  Harper 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  55 

became  sexton  of  the  church  in  1818,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  John  D.  Harper  in  1829,  and  two  years 
later  by  James  P.  WilHams. 

Following  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Biggs,  the  con- 
gregation extended  a  unanimous  call  to  the  Rev. 
James  G.  Watson,  who  had  occupied  the  pulpit  a 
number  of  times  during  his  pastorate,  but  he  de- 
clined to  accept  the  call.  Shortly  afterward  the 
Rev.  J.  T.  Marshall  Davie  was  called  and  was  in- 
stalled August  28,  1832.  The  Rev.  Alexander 
Boyd  presided  on  this  occasion,  the  Rev.  William  F. 
Gibson  preached  the  sermon  and  the  Rev.  Robert 
Steel  delivered  the  charge  to  pastor  and  people. 

Previous  to  the  installation  of  Mr.  Davie,  the 
entire  community  was  stricken  with  the  cholera 
epidemic  and  church  services  were  held  only  oc- 
casionally by  Mr.  Barber,  who  was  secured  to  supply 
the  pulpit  until  the  newly-elected  pastor  should 
'assume  charge. 

Mr.  Davie's  pastorate  was  comparatively  brief, 
covering  a  period  of  two  years,  when  he  accepted  a 
call  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Lancaster,  Penn- 
sylvania, of  which  James  Buchanan,  who  later  be- 
came President  of  the  United  States,  was  a  member. 
Mr.  Davie  passed  to  his  eternal  reward  in  1862,  at 
Flatlands,  Long  Island,  having  fulfilled  his  ministry 
faithfully  and  with  marked  success.  It  was  declared 
concerning  him,  that  he  was  a  man  of  even  temper, 
patient  and  sweet-spirited,  and  of  a  uniformly 
happy  and  forbearing  disposition. 

The  Rev.  Austin  G.  Morss  was  called  to  succeed 
Mr.  Davie  and  was  installed  on  April  30,  1835.    At 


56  The  Presby^terian  Church  of  Frankford 

this  service  the  Rev.  John  McDowell,  D.D.,  pre- 
sided, and  delivered  the  charge  to  the  pastor.  The 
Rev.  Robert  Adair  preached  the  installation  sermon 
and  the  Rev.  James  L.  Dinwiddie  delivered  the 
charge  to  the  people.  The  records  concerning  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Morss  indicate  but  little  growth  in 
the  church's  life  and  activity.  He  tarried  but  two 
years,  closing  his  ministry  in  1837. 

During  this  period  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
neighboring  community  of  Bridesburg  was  organ- 
ized (1837).  Dr.  Biggs  had  prepared  the  way  for 
this  enterprise  by  holding  occasional  services  in  the 
school  house,  and  his  successors  continued  this  work 
which  gave  promise  of  bearing  fruit  in  a  permanent 
organization.  This  was  the  beginning  of  an  era  of 
church  extension  activity  that  was  continued  during 
subsequent  years,  making  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Frankford  a  "  mother  of  churches  "  in  the  truest 
sense. 

During  the  pastorates  of  Mr.  Davie  and  Mr. 
Morss  three  new  elders  were  elected.  Charles 
Dewees,  John  D.  Harper  and  John  Deal,  (for  many 
years  the  Postmaster  in  Frankford),  the  latter  per- 
forming the  duties  of  that  office  for  more  than  forty 
years.  The  trustees,  according  to  the  date  of  their 
election,  were  Christopher  Wisner,  Peter  Slaughter, 
David  Smith,  Samuel  Dixon,  Thomas  Bell,  Daniel 
Yonker,  Francis  Putt,  George  J.  Foulkrod,  John  D. 
Harper,  John  Lamb,  M.D.,  John  Deal,  David  Hun- 
ter, William  Wilkey,  Dr.  R.  R.  Porter  and  Jesse 
Castor.  The  musical  directors  were  Daniel  Axe,  in 
1833,  and  Abraham  Barnard,  from  1834  to  1838. 


The  Development  of  a  Presbyterian  Organization  57 

It  could  hardly  be  expected  that  the  church  would 
show  any  substantial  growth,  much  less  could  there 
be  any  extension  of  its  activities  under  the  unfavor- 
able conditions  which  prevailed  after  the  departure 
of  Dr.  Biggs.  Two  brief  pastorates  of  two  years 
each,  and  nearly  three  years  of  vacancy,  during 
which  at  frequent  intervals  they  were  without  even 
a  pulpit  supply,  would  not  be  likely  to  add  any  new 
strength  to  the  congregation.  Besides  this,  the 
whole  aspect  of  the  church's  membership  had  under- 
gone a  decided  change.  Many  of  the  descendants 
of  the  original  families  had  moved  away,  and  the 
few  new  members  who  had  been  received  were  not 
influenced  by  the  trials  and  sacrifices  borne  by  those 
who  had  gone  before.  The  absence  of  aggressive 
leadership  was  apparent  in  the  attitude  of  the 
people.  No  revivals  had  taken  place,  and  a  spirit  of 
indifference  and  lethargy  pervaded  every  depart- 
ment of  the  church's  life.  This  was  reflected  in  the 
condition  of  the  church  building,  which  showed 
signs  of  neglect,  no  effort  being  made  to  provide  for 
its  renovation.  It  was  evidently  a  time  of  discour- 
agement to  the  little  flock,  and  we  can  picture  them 
wrestling  in  prayer  for  the  strengthening  of  the 
walls  of  their  beloved  Zion,  for  the  anointing  of 
one  sent  of  God  who  would  lead  them  into  new 
pastures,  and  for  such  an  outpouring  of  His  Holy 
Spirit  as  would  bring  seasons  of  refreshing.  Their 
faith  was  soon  to  be  rewarded  in  the  coming  of  one 
whom  God  was  preparing  for  this  particular  task. 


The  Rev.  William  D.  Howard,  D.D. 


CHAPTER  III 

AN  ERA  OF  UPBUILDING  AND  PROGRESS 
"  This  is  the  Lord's  doing ;  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes." 

The  year  1838  was  a  memorable  one  in  the  annals 
of  American  Presbyterianism.  It  was  the  year  of 
the  "  great  division "  of  the  Presbyterian  forces. 
The  "  Plan  of  Union  "  with  the  General  Association 
of  Connecticut,  a  congregational  body  established  in 
1801,  under  the  provisions  of  which  five  Congrega- 
tional Associations  became  officially  parts  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  introduced  the 
germs  of  strife  into  the  governing  bodies,  which 
developed  into  open  controversies,  culminating  in 
the  "  great  division  "  of  1838  into  the  Old  School 
and  New  School  branches.  This  division  continued 
until  1870,  when  a  re-union  was  effected. 

*"  A  large  portion  of  the  Church  contended  that 
the  time  had  come  for  the  conduct  by  strictly  de- 
nominational agencies  of  all  evangelistic  work,  and 
the  Pittsburgh  Synod,  in  1831,  constituted  itself  as 
the  Western  Foreign  Missionary  Society.  Those 
opposed  to  the  establishment  of  denominational 
agencies  belonged  to  the  party  known  as  the  '  New 
School ' ;  those  who  advocated  it,  to  the  *  Old 
School '.  Doctrinal  and  other  questions  were  to  a 
considerable  extent  raised  in  the  controversy.  The 
best  authorities,  however,  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 

*  A  Concise  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Roberts. 

59 


60  The  Preshytenan  Church  of  Frankford 

main  issues  which  divided  the  Church,  were  those 
relating  to  constitutional  law  and  to  general  mis- 
sionary policy.  This  view  is  substantiated  not  only 
by  a  study  of  the  history  of  the  Church  for  fifteen 
years  preceding  the  great  schism,  but  also  by  the 
fact  that,  when,  after  thirty  years,  it  was  proposed 
to  unite  the  long-separated  branches  of  the  Church, 
doctrinal  differences,  though  in  some  particulars  as 
marked  in  1867  as  in  1837,  did  not  suffice  to  pre- 
vent reunion.  The  acts  of  the  Assembly  of  1837 
are  also  a  part  of  the  evidence  of  the  correctness  of 
this  position.  The  Assembly  first  of  all,  on  May 
23,  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  forty-three  to  one 
hundred  and  ten,  abrogated  the  Plan  of  Union  with 
the  General  Association  of  Connecticut.  On  June 
1  it  passed  a  resolution  '  that  by  the  operation  of 
the  abrogation  of  the  Plan  of  Union  of  1801  the 
Synod  of  the  Western  Reserve  is  hereby  declared  to 
be  no  longer  a  part  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America.'  This  action  was 
followed  successively  by  resolutions  against  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  the 
American  Education  Society,  by  the  excision  of  the 
Synods  of  Utica,  Geneva  and  Genesse,  and  by  the 
establishment  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions.  When  the  Assembly  of  1838  met,  the 
'  New  School '  commissioners  protested  against  the 
exclusion  of  the  delegates  from  the  four  exscinded 
Synods,  organized  an  Assembly  of  their  own  in  the 
presence  of  the  sitting  Assembly,  and  then  withdrew 
from  the  house.  The  matters  at  issue  between  the 
Schools  were  referred  to  the  civil  courts  for  settle- 


An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress  61 

ment.  The  first  decision  was  in  favor  of  the  New 
School,  but  the  case  on  appeal  was  decided  in  favor 
of  the  Old  School.  By  the  latter  decision  the  Old 
School  Assembly  became  legally  the  General  As- 
sembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church." 

Individual  congregations  felt  the  violence  of  the 
storm  of  bitter  controversy  which  shook  the  Church 
to  its  very  foundations,  and  many  of  them  were  dis- 
rupted, and  rent  asunder  by  the  divisions  which 
ensued.  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 
declared  its  allegiance  to  the  Old  School  party  and 
became  a  member  of  the  Second  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,  which  at  that  period  consisted  of  six- 
teen members,  among  whom  were  some  of  the  great- 
est theologians  and  pulpit  orators  known  to  Presby- 
terian history,  notably  the  Rev.  John  McDowell, 
D.D.,  one  of  the  most  famous  of  Philadelphia 
preachers,  pastor  of  the  old  Central  Church,  who 
became  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly,  and 
later  its  Stated  Clerk ;  the  Rev.  William  Neill,  D.D., 
who  also  was  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly, 
besides  holding  the  position  of  President  of  Dickin- 
son College,  and  later  the  Secretary  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Education ;  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Cuyler, 
D.D.,  a  great  pulpit  orator  and  pastor  of  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia;  and  the  Rev. 
Courtlandt  Van  Rensselaer,  another  Moderator  of 
the  General  Assembly,  and  prominent  in  the 
Church's  educational  activities. 

It  was  quite  natural  therefore,  in  selecting  the 
new  pastor  for  the  Frankford  congregation,  he 
should   be   chosen    from   the   ranks   of   the    "  Old 


62  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

School "  ministers.  Doubtless  the  counsel  of  such 
men  as  Dr.  Neill,  then  ministering  to  the  First 
Church  in  Germantown,  was  sought.  The  fact  that 
his  pupil,  Rev.  William  D.  Howard,  was  called  to 
lead  the  congregation  in  the  critical  period,  seems 
to  be  more  than  a  mere  coincidence.  Concerning 
Mr.  Howard's  loyalty  and  allegiance  to  "  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints  ",  there  could  be  no 
question,  since  he  was  trained  under  Dr.  Neill,  who 
was  a  tower  of  strength  in  defence  of  the  funda- 
mentals of  evangelical  belief. 

Mr.  HoKvaiid  was  J^orn  in  Philadelphia,  July  28, 
1814.  At  the  age  bi  fifteen  he  becanie  a  member  of 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  under  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Sanford.  Dedicating  his 
life  to  the  Gospel  ministry  in  his  early  teens,  he 
began  his  studies  in  the  Manual  Latin  School,  in 
Germantown,  in  1830,  as  the  first  step  in  preparing 
himself  for  his  sacred  calling.  When  this  institu- 
tion was  merged  into  Lafayette  College  he  removed 
to  Easton  and  continued  his  studies.  In  1833  he 
returned  to  Germantown  and  pursued  a  theological 
course  under  the  tutelage  of  Doctor  Neill.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Second  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia  in  October,  1837,  his  installation  as 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 
taking  place  on  March  13,  1838.  His  preceptor. 
Doctor  Neill,  who  had  also  participated  in  the  in- 
stallation of  Dr.  Biggs,  twenty  years  before,  pre- 
sided and  delivered  the  charge  to  the  minister.  The 
Rev.  R.  W.  Landis  preached  the  sermon  and  the 
Rev.  Robert  Steele,  D.D.,  delivered  the  charge  to  the 


An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress  63 

people.  Mr.  Howard  proved  to  be  a  man  of  rare 
ability  both  as  a  preacher  and  as  an  executive. 

When  Mr.  Howard  came  to  Frankford  the  entire 
population  did  not  exceed  two  thousand  souls.  He 
found  the  Church  in  a  feeble  condition.  The  con- 
gregation, under  the  most  favorable  conditions  did 
not  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons.  With 
few  exceptions  the  people  were  poor,  paying  their 
minister  a  salary  of  but  six  hundred  dollars  a  year. 
The  Church  register  contained  about  eighty-five 
names,  the  Sunday-school  membership  numbered 
from  thirty  to  thirty-five,  with  five  or  six  teachers. 
The  Church  was  deeply  in  debt,  and  the  property 
sadly  in  need  of  repairs. 

The  story  of  Dr.  Howard's  ministry  so  attract- 
ively related  by  himself  in  later  years,  will  bear 
repetition  here,  for  doubtless  few  of  the  present 
congregation  are  familiar  with  it. 

"  Though  they  were  a  little  flock  there  were 
among  them  some  godly  men  and  women  who  loved 
the  church  for  its  own  and  its  Master's  sake,  and 
who  labored  prayerfully  and  earnestly  to  build  up 
its  waste  places.  Prominent  among  these  were  Mr. 
George  Castor  and  his  most  estimable  family;  Mr. 
John  D.  Harper,  who  was  *  an  Israelite  indeed  in 
whom '  there  was  *  no  guile,' — to  whom  more  than 
to  any  other  one  the  congregation  is  indebted  for 
the  comfortable  parsonage  they  have  so  long  pos- 
sessed; Mrs.  John  Deal,  one  of  the  gentlest  of 
Christians,  a  lady  whose  life  was  spent  in  deeds  of 
charity;  Mrs.  David  Hunter,  whose  affection  for 
the  church  was  as  tender  as  a  mother's  for  her  child ; 


64  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Mrs.  Parthenia  Clark,  a  godly  widow  who  helped  us 
much  by  her  prayers ;  Mr.  Tennant  and  Mr.  Finlay- 
son,  the  one  a  canny,  the  other  a  fierce  Scot,  who 
had  a  passion  for  orthodoxy,  and  who,  at  three- 
score years  and  ten,  we  have  no  doubt,  would  have 
been  ready  to  shoulder  a  musket  in  defence  of  the 
kirk  and  the  crown  rights  of  King  Jesus. 

"  Mr.  Castor  was  a  man  of  iron  will  and  extra- 
ordinary energy,  and  as  he  had  considerable  sub- 
stance he  was,  for  a  long  period  of  years,  an  efficient 
friend  of  the  congregation ;  and  to  his  family,  every 
one  of  whom  now  sleep  beside  him  in  the  little 
cemetery  adjoining,  this  church  owes  a  deep  debt 
of  gratitude. 

"  The  families  of  Dr.  George  T.  McCallmont,  Mr. 
George  F.  Womrath,  Mr.  John  Wetherill,  Mr. 
Thomas  Wriggins,  Mr.  William  Blackburn,  Mr. 
Samuel  C.  Ford,  Mrs.  Ball  and  her  sons,  Joseph 
and  Charles,  cast  in  their  lot  with  us,  and  from 
these  households  the  church  derived  many  of  its 
most  consistent  members,  and  active  and  liberal 
Christian  workers. 

"  From  time  to  time  many  of  the  youth  whose 
parents  had  long  been  connected  with  the  congre- 
gation became  members  of  the  Church.  Among 
these  were  members  of  the  families  of  Mr.  Enoch 
Arthur,  Mr.  Daniel  Yonker,  Mrs.  Hubbs,  Mrs. 
Quicksall,  Mrs.  Dewees,  and  others.  There  were 
several  families  to  whom  the  church  was  much  in- 
debted, who  did  not  live  within  the  bounds  of  the 
congregation,  but  who  still  retained  their  connection 
with   it.     The  principal   of   these   were   Mr.   Bela 


An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress  65 

Badger,  Mrs.  James  Hart,  his  daughter,  and  Mrs. 
Martha  Dungan,  his  sister-in-law.  Mr.  Badger  was 
a  hberal  man,  and  was  ever  ready  to  help  us  with 
his  counsel  and  his  purse.  These  families  did  much 
to  carry  forward  the  first  fairs  which  were  held  by 
the  congregation,  and  it  was  in  no  small  part  owing 
to  their  activity  and  liberality,  that  they  were  so  suc- 
cessful. During  the  summer  the  congregation  was 
increased,  the  treasury  somewhat  replenished,  and 
the  pastor  encouraged  by  the  presence  of  a  number 
of  families  from  Philadelphia  whose  country  resi- 
dences were  in  the  neighborhood.  Among  these 
were  Comegys  Paul,  of  the  First  Church ;  James  N. 
Dickson,  an  elder  of  the  Sixth  Church;  Alexander 
W.  Mitchell,  M.D.,  an  elder  in  the  Tenth  Church ; 
William  McMain  and  Dr.  Bergen.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  ministry  of  the  speaker  the  congregation  was 
under  great  obligations  to  Dr.  John  F.  Lamb.  Dr. 
Lamb  was  a  somewhat  remarkable  man,  and  though 
he  subsequently  became  alienated  from  the  congre- 
gation and  withdrew  from  it,  yet  he  was,  in  one  of 
the  darkest  hours  of  its  history,  an  efficient  friend. 
Forgetting  everything  that  was,  or  that  seemed  to  be 
unkind  either  to  himself  or  to  the  Church,  the 
speaker  feels  himself  called  upon  to  bear  this  testi- 
mony in  favor  of  one  who  spent  a  long  life  in  this 
community,  and  whose  ashes  now  lie  in  yonder 
little  church-yard. 

"  One  of  the  first  things  the  young  pastor  felt 
called  upon  to  do  was  to  endeavor  to  heal  the 
breaches  which  had  been  made  by  the  unhappy  con- 
troversy which  had  preceded  his  coming.     In  this 


66  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

difficult  task  he  was  singularly  aided  by  giving 
heed  to  one  word  dropped  by  a  wise  and  good  man. 
That  word  was  *  conciliation.'  *  A  soft  answer  turn- 
eth  away  wrath.'  So  we  found  it.  Conciliation 
was  like  oil  on  the  troubled  waters.  Families  which 
had  been  alienated  returned  to  the  congregation, 
and  some  of  these  were  among  the  most  valuable 
families  we  had ;  friends  who  had  been  at  variance 
were  reconciled;  the  past  was  forgotten  because  we 
resolutely  refused  to  allow  it  to  be  spoken  of ;  and 
ere  long  a  day  of  slow  but  increasing  prosperity 
dawned  upon  us.  From  the  beginning  a  few  were 
added  to  the  church.  Very  few  indeed  at  first,  but 
still  enough  to  show  that  the  work  had  the  Master's 
approval.  The  first  year  only  seven — three  on  ex- 
amination and  four  on  certificate;  the  second,  fif- 
teen— nine  on  examination,  and  six  on  certificate ; 
the  third,  ten — two  on  examination,  and  eight  on 
certificate — and  so  on.  At  no  time  during  the  first 
ten  years  was  there  any  special  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit.  In  the  eleventh  and  last  year,  however,  a 
gracious  visitation  was  enjoyed,  during  which 
twenty-three  persons  were  received  into  the  church 
on  profession  of  their  faith,  which  though  not  abso- 
lutely, was  relatively,  a  large  number;  and  it  was 
regarded  as  a  special  mark  of  the  Divine  favor. 
During  the  time  of  the  speaker's  pastorate  there 
were  added  to  the  church  one  hundred  and  forty- 
two  persons — eighty-two  on  examination,  and  sixty 
on  certificate,  nearly  doubling  the  number  of  names 
on  the  church  roll. 

"  Whilst  attending  to  these  more  important  mat- 


An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress  67 

ters,  the  congregation  did  not  neglect  the  house  of 
worship.  To  all,  we  may  say,  to  a  few  especially, 
the  very  stones  and  dust  were  precious.  We  began 
by  mending  our  ways.  A  brick  pavement  was  laid 
from  the  sidewalk  on  the  street  to  the  front  door. 
A  vestibule  was  partitioned  off ;  the  stoves  were  dis- 
placed by  a  capacious  furnace  in  the  cellar ;  the 
venerable  chandelier  and  homely  sconces  were  suc- 
ceeded by  more  modern  and  somewhat  splendid  fix- 
tures, to  burn  oil;  the  lofty  pulpit  was  taken  down 
and  one  put  up,  which,  though  plain,  was  really  not 
only  convenient  but  also  beautiful.  In  front  of  it 
was  a  platform  which  was  furnished  with  neat  ma- 
hogany chairs ;  the  little,  crippled  communion  table 
was  set  aside ;  a  new  communion  service  was  pro- 
cured; the  pews  were  taken  down,  remodelled  and 
painted ;  the  depressing  blue  on  the  walls,  as  we 
could  do  nothing  else,  was  covered  with  a  coat  of 
plaster;  and  the  aisles  were  carpeted.  And  when 
all  this  was  done  we  had  as  pretty  a  little  village 
church,  methinks,  as  could  have  been  found  within 
the  limits  of  our  broad  Commonwealth. 

"  The  funds  to  make  these  repairs  and  improve- 
ments were  raised,  in  considerable  part,  by  fairs 
gotten  up  and  conducted  by  the  ladies  of  the 
congregation. 

"  About  1844,,  if  we  remember  aright,  the  con- 
gregation took  active  measures  to  build  a  parsonage, 
constructing  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure  a  lecture- 
room  under  the  same  roof.  The  house  was  finished 
and  the  lecture-room  furnished  at  a  cost  of  about 
twenty-five  hundred  dollars.    It  was  a  very  consid- 


68  The  Presby^ierian  Church  of  Frankjord 

arable  undertaking  for  the  congregation  at  the  time, 
but  as  it  was  engaged  in,  after  much  deliberation 
and  prayer,  with  great  earnestness  and  resoluteness 
of  purpose,  in  due  time  it  was  successfully  ac- 
complished. The  subscriptions  were  not  in  money 
alone,  but  in  material,  labor  and  time.  One  for 
example  gave  the  stone  in  the  quarry,  others  took  it 
out,  whilst  others  hauled  it.  The  sash  were  all 
painted,  and,  unless  our  memory  is  at  fault,  every 
pane  of  glass  put  into  them  by  Mr.  John  D.  Harper, 
assisted  by  the  unskilled  hands  of  the  pastor.  He, 
however,  as  we  can  testify,  became  quite  an  expert 
painter  and  glazier  before  the  work  was  completed. 

"  Whilst  these  labors  were  being  carried  forward 
in  Frankford,  there  were  several  places  in  the  sur- 
rounding country  where  occasional  religious  ser- 
vices were  held.  One  of  these  was  at  a  school- 
house  on  Hart  Lane,  between,  as  the  phrase  then 
was,  Frankford  and  the  city;  another  at  Bustleton, 
a  village  some  five  miles  to  the  northwest;  and  a 
third  at  Holmesburg,  about  as  far  north.  At  this 
latter  place,  where  several  families  belonging  to  the 
church,  including  one  of  the  elders,  Mr.  Robert 
Pattison,  resided,  these  humble  endeavors  proved  to 
be  the  germ  of  a  church.  Gradually,  but  steadily, 
under  the  smile  of  Heaven,  the  little  church  grew. 
When  the  period  began  the  congregation  was  feeble 
and  discouraged ;  when  it  closed  it  was  compara- 
tively strong  and  full  of  hope.  When  it  began  the 
sanctuary  was  by  no  means  comfortable^ — there  was 
no  parsonage,  no  lecture-room,  considerably  less 
than  a  hundred  church  members,  the  Sabbath  con- 


An  Era  of  Uphuilding  and  Progress  69 

gregations  were  small,  and  the  Sabbath-school  very 
small.  When  it  closed  the  church  building  was  a 
sightly  and  most  comfortable  house  of  prayer — there 
was  a  good  parsonage,  a  small,  but  pleasant  lecture- 
room,  the  church  membership  had  been  doubled,  the 
congregations  were  more  than  doubled,  and  the 
Sabbath-school  increased  eight  or  ten  fold.  It  was 
the  Lord's  doing.    To  Him  be  all  the  praise." 

In  1849,  after  a  pastorate  of  eleven  years.  Dr. 
Howard  received  a  flattering  call  from  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Pittsburgh,  which  he  ac- 
cepted, and  was  installed  on  May  16th  of  that  year, 
continuing  to  serve  that  church  with  notable  suc- 
cess until  his  death  on  September  22,  1876. 

For  several  years  Dr.  Howard  was  a  Trustee  of 
Washington  College,  Pa.  He  was  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Western  University  of 
Pennsylvania.  In  1849  he  was  elected  a  Director 
of  the  Western  Theological  Seminary.  For  many 
years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Boards  of  Foreign 
and  Home  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
From  the  organization  of  the  General  Assembly's 
Committee  on  Freedmen,  he  was  a  member  of  it, 
and  was,  for  the  first  year,  its  Chairman.  In  1857 
he  preached  a  sermon  before  the  General  Assembly, 
at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  by  appointment  of  the 
previous  Assembly,  in  behalf  of  domestic  missions. 
This  discourse  was  afterwards  published  by  the 
Board.  He  was  the  author  of  many  sermons,  pub- 
lished by  request.  A  number  of  these  were  preached 
before  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh;  the  others  were 
delivered  on  various  special  occasions.    Dr.  Howard 


70  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

was  a  fine  specimen  of  a  Christian  gentleman.  As 
a  friend,  he  was  sincere  and  ardent.  His  preaching 
was  earnest  and  instructive.  As  a  presbyter,  he 
was  faithful  to  duty;  and  as  a  pastor,  he  was  uni- 
versally beloved  and  abundantly  useful. 

During  Dr.  Howard's  pastorate  Robert  Pattison 
was  elected  to  the  eldership  in  1839.  In  1840  Henry 
Bill  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  music  of  the  church. 
He  was  succeeded  in  1844  by  William  J.  Warner, 
who  continued  in  office  until  1848,  when  David 
Chipman  was  elected. 

Two  of  the  elders  of  the  church  were  called  to 
their  heavenly  home  while  Dr.  Howard  occupied  this 
pulpit,  Roderick  Adams,  in  1838,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-one,  and  George  Castor,  in  1844,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-nine.  The  former  was  for  a  short  time  the 
only  elder  of  the  church.  He  was  said  to  be  a  man 
beloved  by  the  entire  community,  with  scarcely  an 
enemy.  Mr.  Castor,  whose  name  frequently  ap- 
pears in  these  pages,  was  *"  a  descendant  of  one  of 
the  four  who  laid  the  foundations  of  the  church  in 
the  beginning,  he  was  five  years  old  when  his  grand- 
father helped  in  that  good  work.  Himself  among 
the  first  of  its  elders — when  the  church  was  to  be 
established  in  a  new  connection — when  its  first 
house  of  worship  was  to  be  enlarged — when  great 
trouble  had  to  be  taken  to  supply  its  pulpit — when 
great  sacrifices  had  to  be  made  to  bear  its  expenses 
and  maintain  its  ordinances — George  Castor  was  al- 


*  "  One  Hundred  Years  of  the  Presbyteria,n  Church  of 
Frankford  " — Murphy. 


An  Era  of  Upbuilding  and  Progress  71 

ways  firm  and  ready.  He  has  been  known  even  to 
mortgage  his  own  property,  that  the  interests  of  his 
Zion  might  be  supported.  Such  was  the  venerable 
and  upright  man,  whose  name  for  nearly  half  a 
century  was  on  almost  every  page  of  our  church's 
history." 

A  mission  Sunday-school  was  established  by  Dr. 
Howard  at  Rocky  Hill  (Cedar  Hill)  on  the  old 
farm  of  Mr.  Teese,  which  later  was  acquired  by 
Mr.  Robert  Cornelius,  a  staunch  member  of  this 
church,  and  for  many  years  an  elder.  Later  a 
building  was  erected  on  the  Cornelius  property  to 
accommodate  the  school,  and  it  was  conducted  first 
by  Miss  Constance  Cornelius,  and  later  by  Miss 
Hallie  Cookman,  the  grand-daughter  of  Mr.  Cor- 
nelius. In  later  years  it  was  known  as  the  Lawn- 
dale  Sunday-school. 

The  close  of  Dr.  Howard's  ministry  found  the 
church  in  a  better  condition  than  it  had  ever  been  in 
all  its  previous  history.  It  was  now  considered  one 
of  the  most  influential  pulpits  in  the  vicinity  of 
Philadelphia.  Its  activities  were  widely  known  and 
recognized.  Its  pastors  had  been  men  who  were 
leaders  in  tTie  larger  field  of  Presbyterian  enter- 
prise, taking  a  prominent  part  in  the  development 
of  denominational  agencies  of  an  educational  and 
missionary  character.  Its  congregation  was  com- 
paratively large  and  its  Sunday-school  one  of  the 
best  in  the  State. 

Having  attained  to  this  position  of  strength  and 
influence,  the  church  is  now  prepared  to  enter  upon 
the  larger  work  for  which  God  had  been  pre- 
paring it. 


The  Rev.  Thomas  Murphy,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


CHAPTER  IV 

YEARS  OF  EXPANSION 

*'  Lord  thou  hast  been  our  dwelling  place  in  all 
generations." 

There  was  an  interim  of  only  a  few  months  be- 
tween the  departure  of  Dr.  Howard  and  the  instal- 
lation of  his  successor,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Murphy. 
As  has  already  been  intimated,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Frankford  was  now  considered  a  desir- 
able pulpit,  with  a  large  and  harmonious  congrega- 
tion, and  with  all  branches  of  its  work  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  But  the  responsibilities  of  Dr. 
Howard's  successor  were  intensified  because  of 
these  things,  for  it  required  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability  to  maintain  the  high  standards  that 
had  been  attained,  and  to  press  forward  to  still 
larger  conquests.  Commenting  upon  the  situation 
years  afterward,  Dr.  Murphy  said :  "  Difficult  in- 
deed was  the  undertaking  of  him  who  followed  Dr. 
Howard  in  the  position  he  had  filled  so  long  and 
so  well." 

Nevertheless  when  the  call  was  presented  to  Mr. 
Murphy,  who  had  but  recently  graduated  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  he  accepted.  Mr. 
Murphy  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  bom  February  6, 
1823,  in  Antrim  County,  near  the  Dunlane  Church, 
the  son  of  WilHam  and  Mary  Rollins  Murphy.  His 
father  became  an  elder  of  that  church  under  the 
pastorate  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Henry  Cooke.    Wil- 

73 


74  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Ham  Murphy  came,  in  1834,  to  the  United  States 
and  settled  in  New  Hartford,  New  York.  Mr. 
Murphy  took  a  preparatory  course  in  Hamilton 
College,  and  entered  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in 
1841,  graduating  with  the  second  honor,  in  1845. 
He  completed  a  three  years'  course  in  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary  in  1848;  was  licensed  by  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  February  2,  1848. 
On  the  11th  of  October,  1849,  he  was  ordained  by 
the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  at  the  same 
time  being  installed  pastor  of  this  church.  The 
Rev.  Robert  Morris  presided,  the  Rev.  Silas  An- 
drews, D.D.,  preached  the  installation  sermon,  the 
Rev.  Robert  Steele,  D.D.,  delivering  the  charge  to 
the  pastor,  and  the  Rev.  Henry  S.  Rodenbaugh  the 
charge  to  the  congregation. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation  from  the 
Seminary  Mr.  Murphy  was  married  to  Miss  Ann 
Sorter,  of  Blawenburg,  New  Jersey,  a  country  vil- 
lage about  five  miles  from  Princeton. 

Upon  assuming  this,  his  first  pastorate,  the  young 
minister  very  wisely  directed  his  energies  toward 
conserving  the  good  results  accomplished  by  his  dis- 
tinguished predecessor,  introducing  no  radical 
changes,  but  rather  adapting  himself  to  the  situation 
as  he  found  it.  The  transition  was  accomplished 
without  friction  of  any  kind,  and  no  department  of 
the  church's  work  was  permitted  to  suffer  a  decline. 
He  conceived  his  work  to  be  that  of  "  strengthening 
the  things  that  remain ",  and  then  with  having 
gained  the  confidence  of  the  people,  he  set  himself 
to  the  task  of  "  lengthening  its  cords  and  strengthen- 


Years  of  Expansion  75 

ing  its  stakes."  That  this  policy  was  successfully 
carried  out  is  shown  by  the  expansion  of  the 
church's  work  and  influence  that  characterized  his 
long  and  happy  pastorate  covering  nearly  half  a 
century,  nearly  one-third  of  the  church's  entire 
history. 

Four  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Murphy,  two  of  them  dying  in  infancy.  Archibald 
Alexander,  the  older  of  the  two  children  who  grew 
to  maturity,  was  born  on  October  30,  1851.  He  was 
named  in  honor  of  the  great  professor  and  preacher 
who  at  that  time  was  recognized  as  the  most  learned 
and  influential  Presbyterian  minister  in  America. 
Young  Archibald  was  dedicated  to  the  Gospel  min- 
istry in  his  early  youth,  making  a  public  profession 
of  his  faith  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  He  pursued  his 
preparatory  studies  under  Dr.  H.  D.  Gregory,  in 
Philadelphia,  and  graduated  from  Princeton  Col- 
lege in  1872.  He  entered  the  Seminary  in  the  Fall 
of  that  year,  remaining  two  and  a  half  years,  when 
ill  health  interrupted  his  course.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  North 
on  September  29,  1874.  After  leaving  the  Seminary 
early  in  1875  he  spent  several  years  in  private  study 
and  in  assisting  his  father  in  his  pastoral  work.  In 
1878  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  Grace  Chapel,  in 
Jenkintown,  which  was  then  a  mission  of  the  Ab- 
ington  Church,  continuing  until  1880.  He  was  or- 
dained June  13,  1881,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia North  and  installed  pastor  of  the  Levering- 
ton  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Roxborough,  which  he 
served  for  one  year.    Later  pastorates  were  at  Port 


76  The  Presby)terlan  Church  of  Frankford 

Carbon,  Pa.  (1882-1886)  ;  Huron,  South  Dakota,  a 
Congregational  church  (1886-1887)  ;  Spring  Garden 
Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia  (1888-1890); 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  Springfield,  Ohio  (1891- 
1894)  ;  and  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  New 
Brunswick,  New  Jersey  ( 1895-1905) .  After  a  brief 
illness  he  fell  asleep  on  May  19,  1905,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three  years,  and  was  buried  in  Blawenburg,  in 
the  old  burying-ground  of  his  mother's  family.  He 
was  unmarried. 

Mary  Rollins  was  born  on  January  18,  1861. 
She  graduated  from  Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  in 
Norristown,  where  she  had  taken  a  course  in  prep- 
aration for  a  literary  career.  Miss  Murphy  soon 
became  well  known  as  a  writer  of  short  stories  and 
poems.  She  was  a  leader  of  the  church's  young 
people  and  she  made  liberal  use  of  her  talents  along 
literary  and  musical  Hues  in  all  departments  of 
church  activity.  She  was  the  organizer  and  for 
many  years  the  President  of  the  Young  Ladies' 
Mission  Band.  For  several  years  she  was  the  Ed- 
itor of  "  Over  Sea  and  Land  ",  a  missionary  maga- 
zine for  children,  published  by  the  Women's  For- 
eign Missionary  Society  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  U.  S.  A.  After  the  resignation  of  Dr. 
Murphy,  and  the  death  of  Mrs.  Murphy,  she  was 
in  constant  attendance  upon  him  until  the  time  of 
his  death.  She  survived  him  only  three  months,  suc- 
cumbing to  an  attack  of  pneumonia  (April,  1901) 
and  was  buried  in  the  resting  place  of  the  other 
members  of  the  family,  in  Blawenburg,  New  Jersey. 

During  the  second  year  of  his  ministry  in  Frank- 


Years  of  Expansion  77 

ford,  Mr.  Murphy  began  holding  services  on  Sab- 
bath afternoons  in  the  school-house  at  Holmesburg. 
This  was  done  largely  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Robert 
Pattison,  an  elder  in  the  Frankford  Church,  who 
resided  in  Holmesburg,  and  who,  with  other  Pres- 
byterian families,  also  residing  there,  felt  that  the 
time  was  ripe  for  establishing  a  Presbyterian  church 
in  that  community.  For  three  years  Mr.  Murphy 
conducted  services  there,  culminating  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Holmesburg  Presbyterian  Church 
on  April  26,  1853,  with  seventeen  charter  members, 
nearly  all  of  whom  were  transferred  from  the  roll 
of  the  Frankford  Church.  Mr.  Pattison  was  the 
only  elder,  the  Rev.  James  Scott  was  its  first  pastor. 
The  present  membership  of  the  Holmesburg  Church 
is  248. 

After  eleven  years  the  old  Frankford  church 
building  which  had  been  enlarged  in  1810  was  again 
found  to  be  too  small  to  comfortably  provide  for  the 
increased  membership,  and  to  accommodate  the 
growing  activities  of  the  church.  Although  there 
were  many  tender  associations  clustered  about  its 
sacred  precincts,  which  made  it  difficult  for  some  of 
the  older  members  to  reconcile  themselves  to  the 
destruction  of  the  old  building  that  had  stood  for 
nearly  ninety  years,  they  realized  the  necessity  of  en- 
largement and  they  were  willing  to  make  the  sacri- 
fice. The  cornerstone  of  the  new  building  was  laid 
on  June  9,  1859,  the  work  being  completed  and  the 
house  formally  dedicated  on  June  14,  1860.  The 
mason  work  was  done  by  Charles  Deal,  and  the 


78  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

carpenter  work  by  William  Irwin,  both  members  of 
the  church. 

The  first  pipe  organ  was  installed  in  the  gallery 
in  the  rear  of  the  church  auditorium  in  1865,  at  an 
expense  of  over  two  thousand  dollars.  The  first 
organist  was  Mr.  George  Lehman.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Mr.  H.  Clinton  Yonker,  in  1883.  Upon 
his  death,  in  1889,  his  sister.  Miss  Irene  Yonker, 
now  Mrs.  William  A.  Wilgus,  was  elected  to  fill  the 
vacancy,  serving  with  rare  efficiency  and  satisfaction 
until  the  present  time. 

During  the  first  fifteen  years  of  this  pastorate 
there  were  three  revivals,  the  first  in  1854,  the 
second  in  1858,  and  the  third  in  1866,  when  nearly 
one  hundred  persons  were  received  into  the  church 
membership  at  one  communion  service.  Every  such 
service  witnessed  additional  accessions  upon  pro- 
fession of  faith.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  during 
all  the  years  of  Dr.  Murphy's  ministry  there  were 
additions  to  the  church  membership  at  every  com- 
munion season,  with  two  exceptions,  which  occurred 
during  the  Civil  War. 

It  is  impracticable  to  follow  the  events  which 
transpired  in  the  developing  life  of  the  church  dur- 
ing each  succeeding  year  of  this  unusual  pastorate. 
By  summarizing  the  results  accomplished  during  the 
entire  period,  we  can  look  across  these  fruitful  years 
and  see  the  remarkable  manner  in  which  the 
church's  efforts  were  blessed. 

According  to  Dr.  Murphy's  own  statement  in  his 
forty-fifth  anniversary  sermon,  twelve  hundred  and 
forty-four  new  members  were  received  into  the  fel- 


Years  of  Expansion  79 

lowship  of  the  church  during  his  ministry,  of  whom 
four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  came  by  certificate 
of  dismission  and  recommendation  from  other 
churches.  It  was  his  unique  privilege  to  welcome 
into  the  church  fellowship  the  representatives  of 
three  generations  successively.  He  officiated  at  five 
hundred  and  thirteen  marriages.  Debts  of  long 
standing  were  discharged,  and  the  church  freed 
from  all  financial  encumbrance.  Improvements 
were  made  to  the  church  property,  the  graveyard 
wall  being  erected,  the  iron  fence  constructed, 
memorial  windows  installed,  and  the  Sunday-school 
rooms  renovated.  The  manse  was  improved,  and 
repaired,  water  and  gas  installed,  and  other  modem 
facilities  introduced. 

The  outstanding  feature  of  Dr.  Murphy's  min- 
istry, however,  was  the  organization  of  other  Pres- 
byterian churches  in  the  neighboring  communities 
largely  as  the  result  of  his  efforts.  "  It  is  an  element 
for  which  we  would  render  to  the  God  who  has 
helped  us  the  most  profound  gratitude,"  he  said. 
"  It  is  a  branch  of  our  church  life  of  which  we  may 
not  only  justly  boast,  but  we  would  be  culpable  if  we 
did  not  record  it  to  the  glory  of  our  divine  Helper. 
It  is  a  point  which  excites  the  wonder  of  everyone 
who  hears  it,  and  for  which  we  stand  pre-eminent 
above  every  other  church  with  which  I  am  ac- 
quainted either  in  this  city  or  elsewhere." 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Holmesburg  Church  in  1853.  The  Ann 
Carmichael  Church  (Erie  Avenue)  was  the  next  to 
be  organized  on  February  12,  1877,  with  forty-one 


80  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

members.  The  location  was  one  of  the  outlying 
posts,  then  called  Coopersville,  where  the  Frankford 
church  maintained  a  Sabbath-school,  and  where 
some  of  its  members  and  officers  resided. 

The  first  germ  of  the  enterprise  was  a  proposition 
to  the  mother-church,  in  which  his  family  were 
members,  by  Mr.  William  Baird,  to  open  a  Sabbath- 
school  in  a  building  adjoining  his  residence,  which 
was  accompanied  with  an  offer  of  pecuniary  aid. 
In  consequence,  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the 
church  Session  to  superintend  the  enterprise ;  the 
sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  was  secured,  a  Sabbath- 
school  was  opened,  and  Sabbath  afternoon  services 
were  established.  At  these  services  the  pastor  of 
the  Frankford  church  either  preached  himself,  or 
secured  another  to  do  so,  every  Sabbath ;  the  pastor 
also  occasionally  conducted  service  on  an  evening  in 
the  week.  This  continued  for  about  two  years, 
when  the  work  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Rev.  S.  J. 
Milliken,  who  had  been  appointed  by  Presbytery  to 
conduct  missionary  services  on  the  line  of  the  North 
Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

In  1876,  Mr.  Thomas  Potter,  an  elder  of  the 
Chestnut  Hill  Church,  who  owned  and  operated 
large  oilcloth  factories  in  the  neighborhood,  with 
noble  generosity  erected  a  fine  house  of  worship, 
bearing  the  entire  expense  himself,  and  at  the  same 
time  engaged  to  contribute  two  hundred  dollars 
every  year  toward  the  support  of  a  pastor.  The 
organization  consisted  of  forty-one  members,  and 
was  named  the  Ann  Carmichael  Church,  in  mem- 


Years  of  Expansion  81 

orial  of  a  beloved  sister  of  the  generous  donor  of 
its  sanctuary. 

The  first  step  in  the  founding  of  the  Disston 
Memorial  Church,  in  Tacony,  was  the  appointment, 
by  the  Session  of  the  Frankford  Church,  March  1, 
1883,  of  a  committee  to  establish  a  mission  in  that 
place,  to  be  under  the  care  of  the  Session.  The 
second  step  was  the  spending  of  three  years  in 
building  up  a  Sabbath-school,  holding  prayer- 
meetings,  and  preaching  by  the  Frankford  pastor, 
sometimes  on  Sabbath  afternoons,  and  sometimes 
on  week  evenings.  All  this  was  accomplished 
through  the  untiring  energy,  the  earnest  work,  the 
wise  planning  and  the  personal  sacrifices  of  Mr. 
Barton  Castor  and  his  family,  who  were  members 
of  the  Frankford  Church. 

The  third  step  was  the  building,  by  Mrs,  Henry 
Disston,  at  her  sole  expense,  of  a  beautiful  and  well- 
appointed  house  of  worship.  Concerning  this  the 
not-exaggerated  language  of  the  people  was, 
"  Words  are  inadequate  to  express  the  gratitude  of 
our  hearts  to  this  noble,  generous  lady  for  this  gift. 
Long  will  her  memory  be  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of 
those  who  owe  her  so  much." 

The  fourth  step  was  the  dedication  of  the  com- 
pleted church  building  by  the  Presbytery,  April  1, 
1886.  On  the  same  day  the  church  was  organized 
with  twelve  members,  and  with  two  elders — Barton 
Castor  and  William  W.  Milner. 

Two  years  later  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Wissinoming  was  organized  as  the  result  of  a  mis- 
sion established  by  the  Session  of  the  Frankford 


82  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Church.  It  was  nurtured  into  a  strong  and  rapid 
growth  by  Mr.  Barton  Castor,  an  elder  of  the  Ta- 
cony  Church,  and  his  devoted  family.  Through 
their  unceasing  efforts  a  frame  chapel  was  built,  a 
large  Sabbath-school  formed,  a  weekly  prayer- 
meeting  established  and  preaching  maintained  on 
the  evening  of  every  Lord's  Day.  When  such  an 
enterprise  as  this  applied  to  be  formed  into  a  church 
the  request  was  promptly  granted,  and  the  mission- 
ary committee,  by  direction  of  Presbytery,  organized 
it  on  the  evening  of  October  11,  1888,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  twenty-eight  persons,  with  Mr.  Barton 
Castor  as  its  ruling  elder. 

Following  this  the  work  in  Lawndale  was  devel- 
oped. It  was  the  culmination  of  years  of  faithful 
effort  upon  the  part  of  Dr.  Murphy.  In  the  manu- 
facturing village  of  Crescentville,  adjoining  it,  he 
had  preached,  generally  once  a  month,  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  sometimes  in  the  house  of  one  of 
the  workmen  and  sometimes  under  a  willow  tree. 
Some  of  the  most  marvelous  triumphs  of  grace  he 
had  ever  seen  were  witnessed  there.  Two  of  these 
ought  to  be  put  on  record.  John  Schofield  had  been 
grossly  intemperate  from  his  earliest  days.  He 
could  neither  read  nor  write.  He  could  scarcely 
utter  an  intelligible  sentence  in  consequence  of  stam- 
mering. But  the  Lord  touched  his  heart.  He  be- 
came a  changed  man.  Tracts  were  selected  for  him 
which  he  gave  to  his  friends  until  a  temperance 
reformation  followed.  He  learned  to  read  the  Bible. 
He  turned  the  chief  room  of  his  house  into  a  kind 
of  chapel  in  which  a  weekly  prayer-meeting  was 


Years  of  Expansion  83 

established,  where  he  was  the  chief  speaker.  The 
other  case  was  that  of  Samuel  Williams,  an  old 
Welshman.  He  was  the  first-fruits  of  John  Scho- 
field's  labors.  Though  he  could  not  read  and 
scarcely  knew  there  was  such  a  thing  as  a  Bible,  and 
could  remember  nothing  about  religion  but  what  he 
had  learned  from  a  little  bound-girl  in  a  home  where 
he  had  been  a  bound-boy  in  England,  yet  he  was 
brought  to  the  saving  knowledge  of  Christ,  gave 
clearest  evidence  that  he  was  a  new  man,  and  was 
baptized  when  eighty-four  years  of  age. 

The  church  had  its  origin  in  the  formation  of  the 
new  suburb  of  Lawndale,  largely  by  Presbyterian 
families  from  the  northern  part  of  Philadelphia. 
As  soon  as  they  had  taken  up  their  residences  in  this 
new  section  they  set  about  preparations  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  church ;  a  large  Sabbath-school  was 
formed,  Sabbath  evening  services  were  established, 
at  which  Rev.  Samuel  J.  Milliken  and  others 
preached,  and  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship 
was  begun.  They  soon  applied  to  Presbytery  to  be 
organized  into  a  church.  The  request  was  granted, 
and  the  organization  was  effected  December  17, 
1888. 

At  the  close  of  Dr.  Murphy's  pastorate  he  de- 
clared that  out  of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
members  on  the  roll  when  he  was  installed,  in  1849, 
but  thirteen  remained,  only  six  of  whom  were  able 
to  attend  the  church  services.  The  honorary  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
the  College  of  New  Jersey,  in  1872.  The  degree  of 
LL.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Washington  Col- 


84  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

lege,  Tennessee,  in  1891.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  for  seventeen 
years,  for  some  time  Chairman  of  its  Missionary 
Committee,  having  had  a  leading  part  in  originating 
the  Sabbath-school  work  of  that  Board.  In  1873,  as 
delegate  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland,  he  addressed  that  body  on  the  subject  of 
"  One  Federate  Council  for  all  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  of  the  World."  The  resolution  then 
adopted  by  that  General  Assembly  was  the  first  in 
the  series  of  public  movements  which  resulted  in 
organizing  this  Council. 

Dr.  Murphy  was  a  commissioner  to  the  General 
Assembly  ten  times,  was  several  times  the  Moder- 
ator of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  North,  and 
was  recognized  as  an  ecclesiastic  of  imusual  ability 
and  influence. 

He  was  the  author  of  several  publications,  among 
which  are  "  One  Hundred  Years  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Frankford,"  published  in  1872,  contain- 
ing an  account  of  the  Centennial  celebration; 
"  Pastoral  Theology,"  which  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  valuable  treatises  on  that  theme,  being 
used  as  a  text-book  in  many  of  the  theological 
seminaries,  of  which  three  thousand  copies  have 
been  published.  His  booklet,  "  Duties  of  Church 
Members  to  the  Church,"  published  in  1878,  has  had 
a  wide  circulation  and  is  still  extensively  used. 
More  than  220,000  copies  of  this  work  have  been 
printed.  "  People  and  Pastor "  was  published  in 
1887,  and  "  The  Presbytery  of  the  Log  College,"  a 
volume  of  over  500  pages,  and  a  most  important 


Years  of  Expansion  85 

work  from  a  historical  standpoint,  appeared  in  1889. 
His  "  Message  to  the  Seven  Churches  of  Asia  "  was 
the  result  of  long  years  of  earnest  study  and  re- 
search, being  published  in  1895.  He  was  a  fre- 
quent contributor  also  to  the  current  Presbyterian 
periodicals.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  learning, 
persistent  force,  evangelical  spirit  and  thorough 
Presbyterianism. 

The  following  elders  were  ordained  and  installed 
during  Dr.  Murphy's  ministry:  Robert  W.  Solly 
(1853),  William  Irwin  (1853),  Philip  Cressman 
(1853),  Benjamin  Rogers  (1864),  William  J. 
Warner  (1864),  Robert  Cornelius  (1866),  William 
E.  Hamill  (1870).  In  1872  eight  additional  elders 
were  elected :  Joseph  McConnell,  William  B.  Dixon, 
William  Scott,  J.  M.  Somerndike,  Sr.,  Joseph  L,. 
Kinkerter,  David  Nimlet,  Marshall  D.  Yonker,  and 
J.  Keith  Yerkes.  With  the  passing  of  the  years  the 
hand  of  death  removed  many  of  these  faithful 
servants  of  the  church,  and  it  became  necessary,  in 
1893,  again  to  elect  additional  elders.  At  that  time 
William  Fetter,  Dr.  George  Hale,  S.  R.  Caldwell, 
William  Charlton  and  Andrew  Mitchell  were  or- 
dained and  installed  to  this  sacred  office. 

A  long  list  of  names  appear  as  members  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  during  this  period.  They  were 
Francis  Deal,  Frederick  Tryon,  Enoch  Arthur,  Rob- 
ert W.  Solly,  George  J.  Castor,  William  Jones, 
Thomas  Wriggins,  Benjamin  Rodgers,  Joseph  Scat- 
tergood,  William  Blackburn,  Randolph  W.  Evans, 
William  E.  Hamill,  David  Murdock,  William  Irwin-, 
James  C.  Thompson,  Rudolph  Adams,  Reuben  My- 


86  The  Presb})tenan  Church  of  Frankford 

ers,  Dr.  E.  F.  Leake,  Thomas  W.  Duffield,  John  G. 
Cumming,  Alfred  H.  Foster,  James  Miller,  Samuel 
Wakeling,  Joseph  Ball,  James  McAllister,  John  C. 
Cornelius,  Jacob  F.  Wagner,  Thomas  Banes,  Dr. 
William  F.  Guernsey,  William  Keas,  F.  K.  Wom- 
rath.  Barton  Castor,  John  McMullen,  Charles  H. 
Fitler,  George  Taylor,  George  F.  Borie,  William 
Carruthers,  Thomas  Green,  Henry  Davenport,  John 
Holden,  Alfred  W.  Garsed,  Dr.  George  Hale,  Jr., 
Arthur  M.  McComb,  Joseph  Culbert,  Joseph  S. 
Wamick,  Sr.,  William  W.  Fouldrod,  Sr.,  Thomas 
C.  Foster,  John  A.  Hoffman,  S.  R.  Caldwell,  Dr.  R. 
C.  Allen,  William  R.  Gaulbert,  Alfred  B.  Anderson, 
William  Bault,  Harry  K.  Fries,  Edward  Water- 
house,  Joseph  Clark,  and  Joseph  L.  Kinkerter. 

One  of  the  church's  most  faithful  officers,  Mr. 
John  Deal,  was  called  to  his  heavenly  home  in 
October,  1880.  In  view  of  influence  upon  the 
church's  life,  his  memory  should  be  perpetuated. 
For  many  years  Mr.  Deal  was  the  Postmaster  in 
Frankford.  He  was  an  elder  of  the  church  during 
the  pastorates  of  Dr.  Howard  and  Dr.  Murphy. 
For  eight  years  he  was  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Sabbath-school.  For  more  than  forty-five  years  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  efficiently 
performing  the  duties  of  Secretary  for  thirty-five 
years.  In  1877,  by  action  of  the  congregation  at 
the  annual  meeting,  a  pew  was  set  apart  for  the  use 
of  Mr.  Deal  during  his  lifetime  in  recognition  of  his 
long  continued  and  efficient  services. 

The  music  of  the  church  was  under  the  direction 
of  David  Chipman,  James  O'Neill  and  Luther  B. 


Members  of  the  volunteer  choir  in  1874.  The  organ  was  then  in  the  gal- 
lery. Note  also  the  old  style  pews  with  doors.  On  the  front  row 
(from  left  to  right)  are  Miss  Mary  E.  Williams,  Miss  Emma  Morris, 
Mrs.  Maggie  R.  Otley,  Marshall  D.  Yonker,  Mrs.  Yonker,  Mrs.  Samuel 
Watson,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Chipman,  Mrs.  Elwood  Yerkes,  Mrs.  James 
Baird.  Back  row  (standing),  James  Chestnut,  George  Lehman  (organ- 
ist), Dr.  George  Hale,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Chestnut. 


Years  of  Expansion  87 

Guernsey  from  1848  until  1853.  In  1854  Marshall 
Davie  Yonker  was  elected  chorister,  and  continued 
efficiently  in  that  office  until  1897.  The  church  has 
never  had  a  more  faithful  and  devoted  worker  than 
Mr.  Yonker.  He  was  always  at  his  post  of  duty, 
surrounding  himself  with  a  fine  body  of  young 
people  whom  he  laboriously  trained.  It  is  greatly 
to  his  credit  that  during  all  the  years  of  his  in- 
cumbency the  church  was  never  without  a  choir  to 
lead  the  singing,  all  the  members  giving  voluntary 
service.  Mr.  Yonker  was  active  in  every  depart- 
ment of  church  activity.  He  was  Secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  from  1877  until  1912,  besides 
being  an  elder  for  forty  years  and  active  in  the 
Sabbath-school.  After  his  death  the  church  en- 
dowed a  pew  in  memory  of  Mr.  Yonker  and  his 
work. 

The  most  important  historical  event  in  Dr. 
Murphy's  ministry  was  the  celebration  of  the  Cen- 
tennial Anniversary  in  1870.  The  exercises  were 
held  on  Wednesday,  May  the  fourth,  beginning  at 
ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  Rev.  Matthew  B. 
Grier,  who  was  then  editor  of  "  The  Presbyterian," 
presided.  The  invocation  was  offered  by  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Beggs,  pastor  of  the  Falls  of  Schuylkill 
Church ;  the  opening  hymn  was  read  by  the  Rev. 
James  Price,  pastor  of  the  Seventh  United  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Frankf ord ;  the  Scriptures  were 
read  by  the  Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.D.,  the 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Publica- 
tion and  Sabbath-school  Work,  from  the  forty- 
eighth    Psalm.      Rev.    William    Blackwood,    D.D., 


88  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

pastor  of  the  Ninth  Presbyterian  Church,  offered 
prayer,  and  the  introductory  address  was  delivered 
by  the  Rev.  George  W.  Musgrave,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  the 
distinguished  pastor  of  the  West  Spruce  Street 
(now  the  Tenth)  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadel- 
phia, followed  by  an  historical  address  by  Dr. 
Murphy,  in  which  he  reviewed  in  detail  the  history 
of  the  church  from  its  beginning  in  1770.  The 
morning  service  concluded  with  the  benediction  by 
the  Rev.  J.  Addison  Henry,  pastor  of  the  Princeton 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia. 

The  exercises  were  continued  throughout  the  af- 
ternoon, the  Rev.  J.  Grier  Ralston,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  a 
learned  scholar  and  educator,  presiding.  The  Rev. 
Joseph  A.  Warne  offered  the  invocation,  followed 
with  prayer  led  by  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  D.D., 
the  famous  pastor  of  the  old  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  noted  as  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  preachers  of  his  generation.  An  address 
was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  William  D.  Howard, 
D.D.,  who  was  pastor  of  the  church  from  1838  to 
1849,  in  which  he  recounted  the  events  during  his 
ministry  in  Frankford,  comparing  the  church  as  he 
found  it  in  1838  with  its  prosperous  condition  and 
improved  facilities  in  1870.  The  Rev.  Charles 
Hodge,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  of  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary,  addressed  the  gathering  on  "  The  Early 
History  of  Presbyterianism  in  this  Country,  and 
Reminiscences  of  Dr.  Biggs."  The  Rev.  James 
McCosh,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  the  venerable  and  distin- 
guished President  of  Princeton  Seminary,  followed 
with  an  address  on  "  Presbyterianism  and  an  Edu- 


Years  of  Expansion  89 

cated  Ministry."  The  hymn  was  read  by  the  Rev. 
B.  L.  Agnew,  D.D.,  who  was  then  the  pastor  of 
Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia, 
concluding  with  the  benediction  by  Dr.  Ralston. 

At  the  evening  service,  the  Rev.  J.  Addison 
Henry  presided,  and  the  invocation  was  offered  by 
the  Rev.  Calvin  W.  Ferriday,  followed  with  prayer 
by  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Davis,  and  an  address  by  the  Hon. 
Joseph  Allison,  LL.D.,  a  noted  judge  in  the  Phila- 
delphia civil  courts,  and  one  of  the  foremost  Presby- 
terian laymen  of  that  period,  on  "  The  Founders  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia."  The 
Rev.  Elias  R.  Beadle,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  pastor  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia,  one  of 
the  most  forceful  preachers  in  the  city,  delivered  an 
address  on  "  Presbyterianism  and  Missions."  The 
Rev.  W.  R.  Work,  the  first  pastor  of  Trinity  Pres- 
byterian Church,  read  the  hymn,  followed  by  an 
address  by  the  Rev.  John  Hall,  D.D.,  a  Presby- 
terian minister  of  international  reputation,  and 
pastor  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Church  in  New  York 
City,  which  for  many  years  has  been  regarded  as  the 
wealthiest  congregation  in  the  Presbyterian  com- 
munion. Dr.  Hall  was  one  of  America's  greatest 
preachers.  His  remarks  dealt  with  the  Presbyterian 
institutions.  The  exercises  of  the  day  closed  with 
the  benediction,  which  was  pronounced  by  the  Rev. 
William  A.  Jenks,  pastor  of  the  Bridesburg  Presby- 
terian Church.  The  church  choir,  augmented  by  a 
special  chorus,  rendered  several  selections  during 
the  exercises  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Yonker. 

It  was  the  greatest  day  in  the  history  of  the 


90  The  Presb])ierian  Church  of  Frankford 

church.  The  auditorium  was  beautifully  decorated 
with  evergreens  and  spring  flowers.  On  the  walls 
were  "  1770-1870,"  and  with  them  the  words  of 
Scripture  most  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  "  Thou 
hast  been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  generations." 
Quoting  from  an  account  of  the  celebration  pub- 
lished in  "  The  Presbyterian,"  the  following  state- 
ment completes  the  record  of  that  memorable  oc- 
casion :  "  We  must  not  forget  to  add  that  the  hos- 
pitalities extended  by  the  church  to  the  strangers 
who  were  drawn  by  the  attractive  services  of  the 
day  to  Frankford,  were  generous  and  hearty.  The 
ladies  of  the  church  had  provided  dinner  and  tea, 
and  gave  their  guests  such  a  bountiful  entertain- 
ment that,  we  doubt  not,  many  of  them  wished  that 
they  could  see  their  fair  entertainers  oftener  than 
once  in  a  century.  And  the  only  shade  of  regret 
which  steals  in  on  such  occasions,  comes  with  the 
thought  that  when  the  anniversary  arrives  again,  all 
the  faces  which  looked  so  bright  and  happy  last 
week,  will  have  vanished  from  the  earth,  and  all  the 
voices  that  spoke  or  sang  be  silent  on  earth  forever. 
Blessed  be  God  for  the  hope  that  all  will  at  last  be 
gathered  where  the  worshippers  do  not  separate,  and 
where  the  generations  that  have  successively  filled 
one  church  on  earth  will  sing  together  of  the  loving- 
kindness  of  the  Lord,  and  praise  Him  who  has  been 
the  dwelling-place  of  his  people  in  all  generations." 

The  Committee  which  arranged  the  celebration 
consisted  of  Reuben  Myers,  Chairman,  Joseph  Ball, 
Secretary,  Linford  Castor,  Treasurer,  Alfred  H. 
Foster,  John  McMuUin,  William  E.  Hamill,  Fred- 


Years  of  Expansion  91 

erick  K.  Womrath,  Rudolph  Adams,  Samuel  Wake- 
ling,  Howard  Yonker  and  James  C.  Thompson. 
Never  on  any  occasion,  either  before  or  since,  have 
so  many  distinguished  ministers  been  brought  to- 
gether in  a  service  in  this  church,  paying  tribute  to 
its  work  and  honoring  its  leaders. 

The  year  in  which  this  celebration  was  held  is  a 
memorable  one  in  Presbyterian  history,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  the  re-union  of  the  Old  and  New 
School  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  which 
had  been  divided  since  1838,  was  consummated. 
This  was  an  event  which  brought  great  joy  and 
satisfaction  to  Presbyterians  everywhere.  It  marked 
the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  of  spiritual  power,  and 
a  widening  of  the  denominational  activities  both  at 
home  and  in  other  lands. 

Following  these  events  the  work  of  the  church 
progressed  in  a  most  encouraging  manner,  until  the 
year  of  Dr.  Murphy's  accident.  Early  in  1881,  upon 
returning  from  Princeton,  the  train  upon  which  he 
was  a  passenger  was  wrecked  in  a  collision  near 
Princeton  Junction.  Dr.  Murphy,  among  many 
others,  was  very  seriously  injured.  For  a  time 
his  recovery  was  doubtful.  The  congregation 
passed  through  a  period  of  deep  anxiety,  for  Dr. 
Murphy  was  in  the  very  prime  of  his  vigor  with  his 
greatest  work  apparently  yet  to  be  accomplished. 
The  prayers  of  his  loyal  people  were  answered,  how- 
ever, and  his  life  was  spared.  After  four  months 
he  resumed  his  duties,  but  his  physical  powers  were 
impaired  in  such  a  manner  that  he  was  never  able 
to  continue  his  work  with  the  aggressiveness  and 


92  The  Presb})tenan  Church  of  Frankford 

force  that  marked  the  first  thirty  years  of  his  min- 
istry. One  of  his  Hmbs  was  injured  to  such  an 
extent  that  during  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe  Dr. 
Murphy  walked  with  difficulty  and  was  always 
obliged  to  depend  upon  a  stout  cane. 

In  spite  of  this  handicap,  however,  his  work  was 
not  neglected.  Many  times  Dr.  Murphy  responded 
to  the  demands  of  his  congregation  in  visiting  the 
sick  and  burying  the  dead,  experiencing  a  weari- 
ness of  body  due  to  his  affliction,  of  which  he  never 
complained,  but  which  was  a  constant  drain  upon 
his  vitality,  especially  in  his  later  years. 

It  was  saddening  to  those  who  had  known  Dr. 
Murphy  in  the  early  years  of  his  ministry,  and  by 
whom  he  was  held  in  affectionate  regard,  to  witness 
his  steadily  failing  strength  as  old  age  approached. 
For,  "  our  intercourse  with  each  other  as  people  and 
pastor  has  been  one  of  exceptional  happiness,  and 
advantage,"  said  Dr.  Murphy  in  his  forty-fifth  anni- 
versary sermon,  delivered  September  9,  1894.  He 
continued,  "  We  have  become  greatly  endeared  to 
each  other  by  the  personal  memories  of  innumerable 
joys  and  sorrows.  Many  a  time  have  we  been 
brought  close  together  at  the  sick-bed,  the  marriage 
altar,  the  festive  board,  the  grave,  and  especially  in 
the  sanctuary  of  our  God,  and  the  sacramental  table. 
By  sympathy  in  your  sufferings  and  sorrows  ever 
since  some  of  you  were  born,  we  have  been  cemented 
in  bonds  of  affection  which  can  never  be  broken." 

It  was  becoming  increasingly  evident,  however, 
both  to  Dr.  Murphy  and  to  the  congregation,  that  the 
burden  of  pastoral  duties  was  heavier  than  his  im- 


Years  of  Expansion  93 

paired  health  and  waning  strength  could  bear.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  April  16,  1895,  he  presented  his  resig- 
nation, to  take  effect  May  5th.  In  grateful  recogni- 
tion of  his  long  and  faithful  services  he  was  immedi- 
ately elected  Pastor-Emeritus,  with  a  salary  suffic- 
ient to  provide  for  his  needs.  Dr.  Murphy  contin- 
ued in  this  relation  until  his  death,  on  December  26, 
1900,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age.  Upon 
retiring  from  the  pastorate  he  moved  from  Frank- 
ford  to  Blawenburg,  New  Jersey,  residing  on  the 
farm  where  Mrs.  Murphy  was  reared,  and  which  he 
had  purchased.  During  the  winter  months  he  re- 
sided in  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  Murphy  passed  away, 
after  a  brief  illness,  on  July  26,  1895.  The  member- 
ship of  the  church  at  the  close  of  Dr.  Murphy's 
pastorate  numbered  about  four  hundred. 

During  this  pastorate  the  church  was  active  in 
promoting  the  cause  of  temperance.  Frequent  pub- 
lic meetings  were  held  in  the  interests  of  temperance 
and  the  movement  was  given  every  possible  encour- 
agement. Among  the  noted  temperance  workers 
and  lecturers  who  addressed  these  gatherings  were 
Frances  E.  Willard  and  John  B.  Gough,  the  latter 
being  the  most  famous  temperance  lecturer  the 
world  has  ever  known.  It  is  a  peculiar  providence 
that  made  his  appearance  in  this  church  the  last 
meeting  he  should  be  permitted  to  address.  In  the 
midst  of  one  of  his  characteristic  flights  of  oratory 
and  eloquence,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  audience, 
he  was  suddenly  stricken.  Medical  assistance  was 
immediately  summoned,  and  he  was  removed  to  the 
home  of  Dr.  R.  Bruce  Burns,  adjoining  the  manse. 


94  The  Presb})terian  Church  of  Frankford 

where  he  Hngered  a  few  days  and  passed  to  his 
eternal  reward.  His  last  words  upon  the  public 
platform,  uttered  in  this  church,  were  an  exhorta- 
tion to  youth  which  will  outlive  his  memory: 
"  Young  man,  keep  your  record  clean."  Several 
years  afterward,  when  the  church  auditorium  was 
renovated,  the  boards  from  the  old  platform  were 
taken  by  Mr.  Joseph  S.  Warnick,  Sr.,  and  converted 
into  canes,  for  which  there  was  a  wide  demand  be- 
cause of  the  fact  that  it  was  from  this  platform  that 
Mr,  Gough  made  his  last  public  address.  They 
found  their  way  into  the  homes  of  many  of  the 
families  of  the  church. 


The  Rev.  John  Baker  Laird,  D.D. 


CHAPTER  V 

TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  FRUITFUL  MINISTRY 

"  One  generation  shall  praise  thy  work  to  another,  and 
shall  declare  thy  mighty  acts." 

In  approaching  the  task  of  recording  the  events  of 
the  past  twenty-five  years,  the  writer  is  conscious  of 
the  fact  that  the  narrative  must  necessarily  be  held 
within  certain  limitations. 

While  Doctor  Laird's  pastorate  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century  will  be  appropriately  recognized  as  a  part  of 
the  anniversary  exercises,  in  May,  1920,  the  story  of 
the  unprecedented  progress  of  the  church  under  his 
leadership  should  be  fully  recorded.  It  is  fitting  also 
that  recognition  should  be  given  to  the  larger  work 
of  the  Kingdom  in  which  he  has  had  such  a  promi- 
nent part. 

If  Dr.  Laird's  wishes  were  consulted,  this  chapter 
would  contain  a  very  simple  record  of  the  events 
connected  with  the  progress  of  the  church  since 
1895,  but  the  writer  feels  a  sense  of  responsibility  to 
the  congregation  in  embracing  this  opportunity  to 
expressing  our  appreciation  of  the  qualities  which 
have  endeared  him  to  us,  the  depth  of  our  affection 
for  him  as  our  pastor  and  friend,  and  our  gratitude 
to  God  for  the  success  with  which  He  has  crowned 
his  ministry.  Knowing  that  if  these  pages  had  been 
submitted  to  him  they  would  have  been  severely 
censored,  and  having  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
events  to  record  them  without  his  assistance,  the 

95 


96  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

writer  submits  this  chapter  to  the  judgment  of  those 
whose  souls  have  been  refreshed  by  his  ministry,  and 
whose  Hves  have  been  enriched  by  his  friendship. 

As  we  stand  on  the  threshold  of  a  new  epoch  in 
the  church's  life,  we  pause  to  take  a  parting  look 
over  the  long  road  which  we  have  traversed  as  we 
have  traced  the  course  of  its  history  through  a 
century  and  a  quarter.  Generation  after  generation 
has  passed  in  review,  each  contributing  its  part  in 
faithfulness  and  devotion  toward  the  preservation 
of  the  sacred  heritage  which  had  come  to  them 
through  the  mercy  and  guidance  of  a  gracious 
Providence. 

As  we  look  across  the  years,  we  are  impressed 
with  the  position  of  distinction  to  which  the  min- 
isters of  this  church  have  attained  in  the  councils 
of  our  great  denomination.  It  is  interesting  also  to 
note  that  among  its  members,  especially  its  officers, 
we  find  the  names  of  men  who  have  been  elevated  to 
high  office  in  civic  and  national  affairs,  rendering 
distinguished  service,  besides  many  who  have  fig- 
ured prominently  in  commercial  and  professional 
life  in  the  community.  To  an  unusual  degree  this 
church  seems  to  have  attracted  to  its  membership 
those  who  have  had  a  leading  part  in  the  develop- 
ment of  industrial,  financial  and  educational  enter- 
prises in  Frankford,  and  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 
This  is  not  less  true  of  the  present  time  than  of  the 
past.  Thus  we  see  something  of  the  far-reaching 
influence  of  the  church  and  its  ministry  during  all 
the  years  of  its  history. 

Truly  may  we  say  that  God's  hand  has  been  upon 


Tn>ent^-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry  97 

us  in  blessing  through  all  the  changes  that  the  years 
have  wrought.  To  our  forefathers  and  to  us  has 
been  given  the  high  privilege  of  influencing  the  cur- 
rent of  human  life  in  each  succeeding  age,  toward 
high  and  holy  endeavor.  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord, 
not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  all  the  glory." 

But  the  church's  mission  had  not  yet  been  ac- 
complished. Rather  had  it  been  gathering  strength 
for  the  greater  work  yet  before  it.  The  record  of 
the  past  quarter  of  a  century  gives  unmistakable 
evidence  that  God  had  destined  this  venerable  insti- 
tution for  greater  things  than  were  foreseen  by 
those  who  had  laid  the  foundations  and  built  stone 
upon  stone,  the  enduring  structure  of  a  strong  and 
virile  organization.  All  that  had  gone  before  was 
but  the  shadow  of  the  larger  work  which  the  future 
years  were  to  witness.  But  who  should  be  called  to 
lead  the  congregation  into  the  larger  areas  of  service 
toward  which  a  guiding  Providence  was  directing 
its  steps  ?  "  There  was  a  man  sent  from  God 
whose  name  was  John."  Richly  endowed  for  the 
task  and  with  the  baptism  of  spiritual  power  to  sus- 
tain him,  he  could  not  fail. 

As  we  bear  grateful  testimony  to  the  ardent  and 
successful  labors  of  his  pastorate  of  which  we  joy- 
ously unite  in  celebrating  the  Twenty-fifth  Anni- 
versary in  this  year  of  grace  1920,  our  souls  are 
uplifted  in  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  all  the  bless- 
ings which  God  has  vouchsafed  to  him  and  to  us 
during  this  eventful  period. 

Unique  as  our  history  has  been,  probably  nothing 
appears  in  retrospect  that  is  more  remarkable  than 


98  The  Presb})terian  Church  of  Frankford 

the  manner  in  which  the  transition  from  the  old  to 
the  new  was  accomplished  when  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Laird  began.  Seldom  has  any  church,  after  a  long 
pastorate,  been  able  to  unite  upon  a  new  leader  in 
such  a  short  time  as  elapsed  between  the  retirement 
of  Dr.  Murphy  and  the  installation  of  his  successor. 
That  a  congregation  should,  with  such  unanimity 
and  without  a  long  and  trying  period  of  vacancy 
with  a  procession  of  candidates,  find  it  possible  to 
agree  upon  the  one  to  whom  they  would  entrust  their 
spiritual  guidance,  speaks  eloquently  for  the  stability 
of  its  people,  of  the  wisdom  of  its  officers,  and  the 
directing  hand  of  God  in  its  affairs. 

Early  in  the  year  1895  Dr.  Murphy  declared  to 
the  Session  of  the  church  his  intention  to  lay  down 
the  responsibilities  which  the  burden  of  years  had 
made  it  difficult  for  him  to  bear.  With  unusual 
sagacity,  they  began  to  make  preparations  for  the 
change.  They  took  counsel,  very  wisely,  with  the 
venerable  Dr.  William  M.  Paxton,  the  Professor  of 
Homiletics  in  Princeton  Seminary,  who  was  a  life- 
long friend  and  classmate  of  Dr.  Murphy,  and  who 
frequently  occupied  the  pulpit  during  his  ministry. 
The  desire  for  a  young  man  was  unanimous,  and  it 
was  the  earnest  hope  and  prayer  of  the  Session  that 
they  might  find  in  the  senior  class  at  the  Seminary 
the  one  whom  God  had  been  preparing  for  this 
special  task.  Here  again  we  see  His  guiding  provi- 
dence, for  Dr.  Paxton,  with  the  hearty  endorsement 
of  the  other  members  of  the  Seminary  faculty,  all 
of  whom  were  familiar  with  the  Frankford  Church, 
and   friends   of   Dr.   Murphy,   selected  the  young 


Tn>eniy;-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry)  99 

student  who  had  already  been  declared  by  his  class- 
mates to  be  the  ablest  preacher  in  his  class.  From 
the  time  he  entered  the  Seminary  he  had  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  faculty  by  his  unusual  ability, 
his  close  application  to  his  studies,  and  his  conse- 
cration. It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  they, 
with  prophetic  insight,  perceived  in  him  the  quali- 
ties that  would  lead  him  into  a  career  of  wide  in- 
fluence and  usefulness. 

He  was  engaged  to  preach  on  February  10th  and 
February  17th,  1895.  The  entire  congregation  was 
impressed  with  his  clear  expositions  of  Scripture 
truth.  His  unassuming  manner  and  the  absence  of 
any  attempt  to  produce  sensational  effects  appealed 
to  the  conservative  spirit  of  the  people,  and  with  one 
accord  they  were  convinced  that  he  had  indeed  been 
"  sent  to  the  Kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this."  On 
the  first  Sabbath  when  he  appeared  in  the  Frankford 
pulpit  he  preached  from  the  text,  "  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God."  It  was  a  clear  and  forceful  presentation 
of  the  plan  of  salvation.  Many  doubtless  will  re- 
member also  the  sermon  preached  on  the  second 
Sabbath  morning  from  the  text,  "  The  Lord  God  is 
a  Sun."  If  they  were  influenced  by  the  first  ser- 
mon, the  second  was  a  discourse  of  such  spiritual 
penetration  and  earnestness  that  they  were  con- 
vinced that  he  was  the  man  of  God's  choice.  No 
other  candidates  were  heard  and  in  due  time  a 
unanimous  call  was  extended  to  him. 

Mr.  Ivaird  was  born  on  a  Lancaster  County  farm, 
near  the  little  village  of  Mount  Nebo,  Pennsylvania, 
the  son  of  Clarkson  and  Anna  O'Neill  Laird.    He 


1 00         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

attended  the  country  school,  where  the  foundations 
of  his  education  were  laid.  His  father  was  one  of 
the  two  elders  in  the  little  country  church  in  Mt. 
Nebo.  Through  the  influence  of  godly  parents  and 
the  surroundings  of  a  Christian  home,  supplemented 
by  faithful  attendance  upon  the  Sunday-school,  he 
was  led  in  early  youth  to  make  a  public  profession 
of  his  faith  in  Christ.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Mil- 
lersville  State  Normal  School  and  after  completing 
his  course  found  a  position  as  a  teacher  in  one  of 
the  Lancaster  County  schools.  But  this  was  merely 
a  preparation  for  larger  things  toward  which  he 
was  aspiring.  While  teaching  school,  he  pursued 
his  studies  in  the  classics  and  mathematics  under  a 
private  tutor  in  Lancaster  to  prepare  himself  for  a 
college  course.  In  the  autumn  of  1888  he  was 
matriculated  in  Lafayette  College,  graduating  with 
honors  in  1892. 

While  a  student  in  Lafayette  College  he  was  led  to 
dedicate  himself  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry. 
It  was  an  unmistakable  leading  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  confirmed  him  in  this  life  decision,  and  his 
career  from  that  moment  has  been  a  perfect  testi- 
mony to  the  fulfillment  of  God's  promise  to  such  as 
hear  the  call  to  become  His  ambassadors.  He  en- 
tered Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in  the  Fall  of 
1892,  graduating  in  the  Spring  of  1895,  entering  at 
once  upon  his  ministerial  duties  in  Frankford.  He 
was  ordained  and  installed  on  June  20,  1895. 

The  Rev.  Charles  R.  Erdman,  D.D.,  presided  and 
preached  the  sermon ;  the  Rev.  Louis  F.  Benson, 
D.D.,  delivered  the  charge  to  the  congregation,  and 


Ttvent^-ftve  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry        101 

the  Rev.  Alexander  Henry,  D.D.,  the  charge  to  the 
new  pastor. 

The  entire  work  of  the  church  was  given  a  new 
impetus  by  the  constructive  plans  which  he  intro- 
duced. It  soon  became  apparent  that  the  task  of 
reviving  the  old  church,  whose  activities  had  been 
weakened  during  the  declining  years  of  an  unusually 
long  pastorate,  was  not  an  easy  one.  The  physical 
conditions  also  were  unfavorable.  The  population 
of  Frankford  was  not  experiencing  any  substantial 
growth  at  that  period;  the  location  of  the  church 
property  was  not  conducive  to  the  enlargement  of 
the  congregation,  the  movement  of  the  residential 
section  being  farther  and  farther  away  from  the 
church.  It  was  evident,  therefore,  that  the  greatest 
attraction  must  be  in  the  magnetism  of  the  min- 
ister's personality  and  in  the  power  with  which  he 
proclaimed  his  message.  Mr.  Laird  was  equal  to 
the  situation  and  his  influence  soon  began  to  mani- 
fest itself  in  increased  congregations  and  in  an  ever- 
enlarging  number  of  accessions  to  the  church  mem- 
bership. The  publication  of  the  weekly  bulletin  was 
begun  early  in  the  Fall,  making  its  first  appearance 
on  September  15,  1895,  and  it  has  been  continued 
without  interruption  until  the  present,  except  during 
the  summer  months. 

Special  attention  was  given  to  the  development  of 
interest  among  the  young  people,  many  of  whom  had 
become  indifferent,  the  societies  having  declined 
through  the  lack  of  sympathetic  leadership.  New 
societies  were  formed  for  the  boys  and  girls  and  for 
the  young  men  and  women;  the  societies  that  had 


1  02         The  Presb})ierian  Church  of  Frankford 

survived  being  infused   with  new  life  under  the 
stimulus  of  new  methods  and  youthful  contact. 

It  was  little  wonder,  therefore,  that  this  first  year 
of  strenuous  labor,  following  closely  upon  years  of 
incessant  study  without  time  for  recreation,  was  a 
severe  test  of  the  young  pastor's  physical  strength. 
The  congregation  was  not  unmindful  of  the  situ- 
ation, and  steps  were  taken  to  arrange  a  season  of 
rest  and  refreshment  such  as  would  restore  him  to 
health  and  vigor.  The  funds  were  generously  pro- 
vided to  enable  him  to  spend  the  entire  summer  in 
Europe.  Returning  in  the  Fall,  his  health  fully  re- 
stored, he  was  greeted  with  enthusiasm  by  a  loyal 
and  devoted  congregation  who  were  ready  to  follow 
his  guidance  into  new  fields  of  service. 

During  the  next  year  (1897)  the  church  choir 
was  re-organized  upon  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Yonker 
as  chorister.  Reference  has  been  made  to  his  faith- 
ful labors.  Mr.  David  M.  Lovett  succeeded  him  as 
musical  director,  and  in  the  following  year  a  quar- 
tette of  paid  singers  was  engaged.  The  Session 
realized  the  value  of  the  musical  part  of  the  church's 
services  and  advocated  a  liberal  investment  of 
church  funds  for  its  development.  Through  subse- 
quent years  frequent  musical  services  on  Sabbath 
evenings  have  attracted  large  congregations  and 
have  been  a  potent  factor  in  widening  the  sphere  of 
the  church's  influence  in  the  community.  Mr. 
Lovett  was  peculiarly  qualified  by  musical  genius 
and  training  to  assume  this  new  responsibility,  and 
through  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  under  his 
efficient  leadership  a  high  standard  has  been  main- 


Tn>eniy-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry        1 03 

tained,  and  the  efforts  of  the  minister  ably  supple- 
mented, besides  effectively  adding  to  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  Sabbath  services. 

The  same  year  a  movement  was  begun  to  pur- 
chase a  new  organ  in  place  of  the  old  instrument, 
which  had  been  in  constant  service  for  more  than 
thirty  years.  The  necessary  funds  were  soon  pro- 
cured and  the  present  organ  was  installed,  with 
motor  power,  at  an  expense  of  more  than  three 
thousand  dollars. 

By  this  time  the  church  building  again  began  to 
show  indications  of  decay  and  it  became  necessary 
to  apply  a  new  coat  of  cement  to  the  outside  walls, 
besides  inserting  new  stone  bases.  Three  new  en- 
trance doors  were  installed  to  replace  the  old  doors, 
through  which  two  generations  had  passed.  The 
memorial  windows  also  had  faded  and  were  sadly 
in  need  of  repairs.  Upon  corresponding  with  the 
families  who  had  provided  these  windows,  they 
heartily  concurred,  with  but  two  exceptions,  in  the 
proposal  to  install  new  windows,  and  the  necessary 
funds  were  immediately  made  available.  The 
Ladies'  Aid  Society  contributed  the  funds  for  the 
renewing  of  the  two  windows  which  it  was  not 
found  practicable  for  the  families  interested  to 
provide. 

THE  MEMORIAL  WINDOWS 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  include  in  this  history  a 
brief  statement  concerning  the  memorial  windows. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  church,  beginning  at  the 
eastern  end,  we  find  the  Womrath  Memorial,  con- 


1 04         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

tributed  by  the  family  of  Mr.  Frederick  Womrath. 
Mr.  Womrath  was  a  trustee  of  the  church  for  many 
years  and  took  an  active  interest  in  all  its  affairs. 

Adjoining  the  Womrath  window  is  the  Josephine 
L.  Buckius  Memorial.  This  was  erected  by  her  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  William  W.  Foulkrod  and  Miss 
Emma  C.  Buckius.  Mrs.  Buckius  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  church  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

The  next  window  on  the  north  side  was  con- 
tributed in  memory  of  Mrs.  Catherine  McMullen  by 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Catherine  Ervien,  her  grand- 
children, Mrs.  Matthias  Coates,  the  Misses  McMul- 
len, Mr.  R.  C.  McMullen,  and  the  sons  of  Thomas 
Rowland,  who  also  are  grandchildren  of  Mrs. 
McMullen. 

The  fourth  window  represents  the  Castor-Foster 
Memorial,  given  by  the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A. 
H.  Foster,  who  for  many  years  were  active  workers 
in  the  church,  as  a  memorial  to  their  mother,  and  to 
the  Castor  family,  who  were  active  in  the  church's 
early  history. 

The  fifth  window  is  known  as  the  Carpentier 
Memorial,  contributed  originally  by  Mrs.  Carpen- 
tier, who  generously  provided  in  her  will  for  the 
payment  of  an  annuity  of  three  hundred  dollars  to 
the  church,  which  the  church  has  now  received  for 
many  years. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  church  the  first  window 
is  the  McVaugh  Memorial,  contributed  by  Mrs.  V. 
E.  Archambault,  in  memory  of  her  father,  Edmund 
McVaugh,  who  for  many  years  was  a  trustee  of  the 
church  and  for  a  time  the  church's  treasurer. 


o 


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re   3 


Trveni^-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry         1  05 

Adjoining  this  is  the  Adam  Baker  Memorial, 
erected  by  Mr.  John  F.  Lewis,  in  memory  of  Mr. 
Adam  Baker  and  his  wife,  EHzabeth  Baker  (nee 
Neff). 

The  third  window  on  the  south  side  is  the  Ru- 
dolph Neff  Memorial,  given  by  Dr.  Joseph  S.  Neff, 
of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  descendants  of  the  origi- 
nal family  who  played  such  a  large  part  in  the  or- 
ganization of  this  church. 

The  next  window  is  the  Maurer  Memorial,  which 
was  contributed  by  Mr.  G,  Albert  Lewis  in  memory 
of  Jacob  Maurer,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  church. 

The  fifth  window  is  the  Harper  Memorial,  which 
was  erected  by  the  Harper  and  Huckel  families  in 
memory  of  the  members  of  the  Harper  family  who 
had  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  church's  work 
during  its  early  history. 

The  window  on  the  south  stairway  was  contrib- 
uted by  Mr.  Harry  F.  Wagner  and  Mrs.  R.  Bruce 
Burns  in  memory  of  their  father  and  mother,  Mr. 
Jacob  F.  Wagner  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Wagner,  both  of 
whom  were  active  in  the  church's  work  for  many 
years,  Mr.  Wagner  being  a  faithful  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  and  generous  in  providing  for 
the  church's  needs. 

The  Joseph  L.  Kinkerter  Memorial  window  in 
the  front  of  the  church  was  contributed  by  the 
Sabbath-school. 

These  improvements  made  others  necessary,  be- 
sides the  introduction  of  additional  facilities.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1899,  a  new  boiler  was  installed  to  en- 
large the  heating  capacity  of  the  church.     This, 


1 06        The  Preshyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

however,  was  presented  by  members  of  the  congre- 
gation, and  it  led  to  the  necessity  of  installing  a 
complete  steam  heating  system.  Lavatories  were 
built  in  the  basement,  besides  a  fully  equipped 
kitchen,  several  thousand  dollars  being  expended  in 
making  these  improvements.  This  was  followed  by 
the  erection  of  the  memorial  window  to  Mr.  Joseph 
L.  Kinkerter,  the  entire  cost  being  borne  by  the 
members  of  the  Sunday-school. 

The  Olney  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized 
during  1899,  with  forty  charter  members  from  the 
Frankford  Church.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  of 
the  churches  that  have  grown  from  this  old  "  mother 
of  churches,"  its  present  membership  being  about 
800. 

Early  in  1901  a  special  meeting  of  the  congrega- 
tion was  called  to  consider  the  erection  of  an  ap- 
propriate memorial  to  Dr.  Murphy.  After  careful 
consideration  it  was  decided  that  the  memorial 
should  take  the  form  of  a  baptismal  font  suitably 
inscribed,  to  be  placed  in  the  church  auditorium. 
The  funds  were  promptly  subscribed  and  the  work 
completed  the  following  Fall. 

Three  new  elders  were  ordained  and  installed  on 
October  11,  1903:  Mr.  Henry  S.  Borneman,  Mr. 
Robert  Dawes  and  Mr.  John  W.  Liberton. 

Improvements  to  the  manse  were  made  during  the 
following  year,  a  portico  being  placed  over  the  old 
doorway  in  conformity  with  its  colonial  design,  and 
cement  walks  laid  around  the  house.  The  plumbing 
was  repaired  and  renewed,  the  rooms  re-papered,  the 
entire  building  painted  and  other  necessary  improve- 


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Trvent^'five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry^        1 07 

ments  made  to  add  to  the  comfort  of  the  minister 
and  to  adorn  the  exterior. 

These  things  are  recorded  because  they  are  an 
indication  of  the  prosperous  condition  of  the  church 
during  the  first  decade  of  Dr.  Laird's  ministry.  The 
success  of  his  labors  was  beginning  to  be  known  and 
his  abiHties  recognized,  beyond  the  immediate 
boundaries  of  his  parish.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  that  his  Alma  Mater,  in  recognition  of 
scholarly  attainment  and  good  service,  honored  him 
by  conferring  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity,  in  June,  1904.  The  congregation  rejoiced 
with  their  minister  in  this  distinction  which  had  thus 
been  bestowed,  and  they  arranged  a  reception  in 
recognition  of  the  event.  A  few  months  later  he  was 
again  honored  in  being  elected  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Lafayette  College.  The  same 
year  Dr.  Laird  was  elected  a  Trustee  of  Wilson  Col- 
lege, in  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania. 

The  year  1905  marked  the  Tenth  Anniversary  of 
Dr.  Laird's  ministry.  A  large  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  make  arrangements  for  the  proper  cele- 
bration of  this  event.  Beginning  on  Sabbath,  May 
4th,  services  were  held  throughout  the  week.  The 
anniversary  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Laird 
before  a  congregation  that  taxed  the  seating  capacity 
of  the  church.  The  afternoon  services  were  devoted 
to  the  Sabbath-school  anniversary,  it  being  the 
ninetieth  year  of  its  existence;  and  the  evening 
service  being  arranged  in  recognition  of  the  one 
hundred  and  thirty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  or- 
ganization   of    the   church,    the   Rev.    Richard    S. 


108         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

Holmes,  D.D.,  preaching  the  sermon.  The  follow- 
ing Tuesday  evening  a  musical  service  was  held,  at 
which  a  sacred  cantata  was  rendered  by  a  large 
chorus  choir,  and  an  address  delivered  by  the  Rev. 
Charles  Wood,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Philadelphia.  On  Wednesday 
evening  reports  were  presented  by  the  various  or- 
ganizations of  the  church  reviewing  the  progress 
they  had  made  during  the  ten  years  just  completed. 
The  celebration  was  concluded  on  Thursday  evening 
with  a  reception  to  Dr.  Laird.  Many  distinguished 
visitors  were  present,  besides  a  large  company  of 
friends  of  the  church,  in  addition  to  the  members  of 
the  congregation.  The  Rev.  Ethelbert  D.  Warfield, 
D.D.,  LL.D.,  who  was  then  the  President  of  Lafay- 
ette College,  Mr.  John  H.  Converse,  then  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Baldwin  Locomotive  Works  and  Chair- 
man of  the  General  Assembly's  Committee  on  Evan- 
gelism, the  Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson,  who  at  that 
time  was  the  senior  judge  of  the  Philadelphia  courts 
and  President  of  the  Board  of  Publication  and 
Sabbath-school  Work,  and  the  Rev.  Alexander 
Henry,  pastor  of  the  Hermon  Presbyterian  Church, 
delivered  brief  addresses  bearing  testimony  to  Dr. 
Laird's  efficient  service  in  the  affairs  of  the  church 
at  large,  as  well  as  in  his  own  parish.  It  was  a 
memorable  occasion.  A  feature  of  the  reception  was 
the  presentation  of  a  purse  to  Dr.  Laird  by  the  con- 
gregation as  a  token  of  their  affection  and  in  recog- 
nition of  this  happy  occasion.  The  suggestion  was 
made  that  the  gift  be  used  to  provide  for  a  summer 
sojourn  in  Europe.    Within  a  few  weeks  Dr.  Laird 


Trventy-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry         1 09 

sailed,  his  vacation  period  being  extended  to  enable 
him  to  arrange  a  satisfactory  itinerary.  During  the 
following  year  Dr.  Laird  was  elected  a  Director  of 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  He  is  now  the 
first  Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

In  1908  extensive  repairs  again  were  necessary, 
the  church  auditorium  being  re-frescoed,  the  organ 
re-voiced,  a  new  carpet  purchased,  the  pews  fur- 
nished with  new  cushions  and  storm  sash  erected  to 
protect  the  new  stained-glass  windows.  The  light- 
ing system  was  changed  and  a  new  roof  placed  on 
the  north  side  of  the  building.  About  eight  thousand 
dollars  were  subscribed  and  expended  before  the 
work  was  completed.  When  the  improvements 
were  finished  and  viewed  by  the  congregation,  it 
was  declared  that  the  auditorium  was  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  in  Philadelphia.  We  today  may 
justly  be  proud  of  the  house  in  which  we  are  privi- 
leged to  gather  for  worship.  The  furnishings  and 
decorations  combine  to  create  an  effect  of  simplicity 
and  richness  which  are  in  keeping  with  the  sacred 
purposes  to  which  the  church  is  dedicated. 

The  exterior  appearance  of  the  church  property 
was  improved  at  the  same  time  by  the  removal  of 
the  old  carriage  sheds,  which  had  stood  for  many 
years,  but  which  were  no  longer  required.  The 
lawn  of  the  manse  property  being  thus  extended,  it 
was  sodded,  and  poplar  trees  and  shrubs  planted. 

The  year  1910  marked  the  beginning  of  the  En- 
dowment Fund  in  the  form  of  a  resolution  adopted 
by  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  obtain  the  sum  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars  as  a  permanent  endowment  to  pro- 


1  1 0         The  Presby^terian  Church  of  Frankford 

vide  for  the  perpetual  maintenance  of  the  church  in 
its  present  location.  It  was  a  wise  and  sagacious 
action,  and  one  in  which  the  entire  congregation 
concurred.  Amounts  have  been  contributed  toward 
this  fund  by  the  various  societies  of  the  church,  by 
individuals  and  through  bequests  of  deceased  mem- 
bers. The  full  amount  could  readily  be  realized  if 
provision  were  made  in  the  wills  of  the  church  mem- 
bers for  the  payment  of  a  modest  amount  out  of 
their  estates  when  they  shall  have  been  called  to 
their  eternal  rest.  Surely  the  house  of  God  is 
worthy  of  such  an  expression  of  our  appreciation  in 
view  of  all  that  it  contributes  toward  our  spiritual 
welfare  and  growth. 

In  consequence  of  a  destructive  wind  storm  which 
passed  over  the  northeastern  section  of  the  city  on 
the  morning  of  February  22,  1912,  the  church  was 
seriously  damaged.  The  chimney  falling,  crashed 
through  the  roof  and  scattered  the  debris  upon  the 
pews.  Heavy  rains  damaged  the  walls  and  carpet, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  expend  over  five  thous- 
and dollars  in  repairing  the  damage.  Voluntary  sub- 
scriptions were  immediately  pledged,  and  it  is  in- 
scribed upon  the  church's  records  that  never  before 
in  its  history  had  such  a  large  amount  been  so 
quickly  and  cheerfully  contributed.  It  was  but  an 
additional  expression  of  the  love  of  a  devoted 
people  for  the  house  which  had  been  made  sacred 
as  the  dwelling-place  of  the  Most  High. 

The  resignation  of  Mr.  Robert  R.  Martin,  who 
filled  the  position  of  Sexton  for  twenty-four  years 
with  universal  satisfaction,  was  recorded  in  Janu- 


TTventy-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry        1  1 1 

ary,  1913.  Mr.  Martin  was  a  familiar  figure  about 
the  church  property  and  performed  his  duties,  even 
during  the  years  of  faiHng  health,  with  a  rare  de- 
gree of  faithfulness.  Three  additional  elders,  Mr. 
Charles  C.  Davis,  Mr.  Robert  L.  Sheppard  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Spencer  were  ordained  and  installed  May 
25,  1913. 

Again,  in  1914,  the  attention  of  the  congregation 
was  directed  to  the  necessity  of  improvements  in  the 
manse.  Arrangements  were  made  to  begin  a  work 
of  alteration  and  renovation,  which  was  completed 
later  in  the  year  at  an  expenditure  of  more  than 
three  thousand  dollars.  The  interior  was  practically 
rebuilt,  a  new  heating  system  installed  and  other 
changes  made  to  provide  all  the  facilities  of  a  mod- 
ern home,  at  the  same  time  preserving  the  original 
form  of  architecture. 

The  Sunday-school  room  was  renovated  during 
the  summer  of  1916,  the  platform  being  enlarged, 
the  walls  re-papered,  a  new  lighting  system  installed 
and  new  furniture  purchased,  at  an  expense  of  two 
thousand  dollars.  Storm  doors  were  erected  and 
minor  improvements  made  to  the  property  in  1918 
at  an  expense  of  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

THE  WORLD  WAR 

During  the  progress  of  the  World  War  from 
August,  1914,  until  our  country  entered  the  conflict 
in  April,  1917,  the  pulpit  of  the  Frankford  Church 
maintained  a  neutral  attitude  in  conformity  with  the 
request  of  the  Federal  Government,  although  the 


1  1 2         The  Presh^ierlan  Church  of  Frankford 

conditions  and  events  leading  up  to  this  gigantic 
struggle  frequently  were  reviewed  and  analyzed,  and 
lessons  drawn  from  them  as  a  means  of  strengthen- 
ing the  unity  of  our  people  and  bringing  them  into 
a  larger  appreciation  of  the  foundation  principles 
of  our  American  Republic.  But  when  the  United 
States  finally  declared  war  upon  the  Central  Powers, 
this  church  took  its  stand  in  no  uncertain  manner  in 
the  support  of  the  government,  and  loyally  co- 
operated in  every  form  of  patriotic  endeavor.  Com- 
mittees of  women  were  formed  to  solicit  subscrip- 
tions to  each  of  the  five  Liberty  Loan  campaigns, 
many  thousands  of  dollars  being  given  by  members 
of  the  church.  Several  classes  in  the  Sunday-school 
purchased  Liberty  Bonds  and  donated  them  to  the 
Endowment  Fund.  A  committee  was  appointed  also 
to  secure  subscriptions  to  the  American  Red  Cross 
Association,  and  in  response  to  their  efforts  hun- 
dreds of  contributors  were  enrolled.  Large  contri- 
butions were  made  to  various  forms  of  war  relief 
work  in  Europe  and  in  the  Near  East.  The  utter- 
ances of  a  patriotic  character  from  the  pulpit  at- 
tracted large  congregations,  contributing  in  a  helpful 
way  toward  encouraging  the  people  in  supporting 
the  government's  attitude  in  prosecuting  the  war. 

Many  of  the  young  men  of  the  church  were  en- 
listed in  different  forms  of  war  service.  One  by  one 
they  departed  for  the  training  camps  and  naval 
schools.  Many  of  them  won  officers'  commissions. 
A  large  service  flag  was  placed  in  the  church  with  a 
large  American  flag,  and  they  were  kept  constantly 
in  view   until   the   boys   returned.      Several   were 


Twenty-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Mmstr}f         1  1  3 

wounded  in  action,  but  recovered  and  were  able  to 
return  to  America  with  their  respective  divisions. 
Of  the  seventy-eight  who  went  forth  from  this 
church  upon  this  crusade  in  behalf  of  liberty  and 
justice  for  all  mankind,  in  response  to  their  Coun- 
try's call,  every  one  returned.  Again  we  record  the 
kind  providence  of  God  in  watching  over  them  and 
in  bringing  them  back  to  their  loved  ones.  In  grate- 
ful recognition  of  God's  goodness,  the  congregation, 
at  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Laird,  resolved  to  erect  a 
tablet  to  be  placed  in  the  foyer  of  the  church  audi- 
torium to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  its  members 
who  had  gone  forth  prepared  to  make  the  supreme 
sacrifice,  if  necessary,  in  defence  of  the  principles 
of  democracy.  The  funds  were  cheerfully  sub- 
scribed and  the  tablet,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  erected  by  any  institution,  inscribed  with 
the  names  of  all  who  had  participated  in  the  war, 
was  dedicated  in  the  Fall  of  1919.  Future  gener- 
ations will  point  with  pride  to  this  enduring  mem- 
orial to  the  church's  heroes  of  the  World  War. 

Thus  we  bring  our  story  of  the  old  church  down 
to  the  present  year.  Not  less  remarkable  than  many 
other  incidents  recorded  in  these  pages  is  the  fact 
that  the  year  closing  April  the  first,  1920,  shows  the 
largest  number  of  accessions  to  church  membership, 
and  the  largest  amounts  contributed  by  the  congre- 
gation toward  church  support  and  benevolences  in 
the  entire  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  its  life  and 
work.  Nothing  could  more  forcefully  demonstrate 
the  growing  power  and  influence  of  the  present 
pastorate. 


1  1 4         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

It  is  of  interest  to  note,  however,  that  the  sphere 
of  Doctor  Laird's  usefulness  reaches  far  beyond 
the  narrow  hmits  of  his  parish  responsibilities.  His 
counsel  is  sought  in  the  larger  work  of  the  Presby- 
terian denomination  to  an  unusual  degree,  and  as  a 
consequence  he  has  been  honored  by  being  elected 
to  serve  on  the  executive  boards  of  several  educa- 
tional institutions,  such  as  Lafayette  College  (1904), 
Wilson  College  (1904),  Directors  of  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary  (1906),  Trustees  of  Lincoln 
University  (1907),  Trustees  of  Princeton  Seminary 
(1915).  In  March,  1920,  Dr.  Laird  was  elected 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Wilson  Col- 
lege. Dr.  Laird  was  a  member  of  the  College  Board 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  from  1907  until  1917, 
when  it  was  merged  with  the  Board  of  Education  by 
action  of  the  General  Assembly.  Since  1901,  Dr. 
Laird  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  activities  of 
the  Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-school  Work, 
being  the  Chairman  of  its  Missionary  Committee, 
besides  serving  helpfully  on  other  Committees,  and 
a  Trustee  of  the  corporation. 

He  has  been  honored  by  his  Presbytery  by  elec- 
tion as  a  Commissioner  to  three  General  Assemblies, 
meeting  in  Winona  Lake,  Indiana,  in  1898;  in  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio,  in  1907;  in  Chicago,  in  1915,  and  in 
Philadelphia,  in  1920,  besides  being  frequently 
elected  to  represent  the  Presbytery  in  the  meetings 
of  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1915  Dr.  Laird  was  the  unanimous  choice  of 
the  Synod  for  the  position  of  Moderator,  which  he 
filled  with  honor  and  distinction.    It  was  upon  this 


Trvent})-ftve  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministr})         1  1  5 

occasion  that  one  of  the  staff  correspondents  of 
"  The  PubHc  Ledger  "  paid  this  tribute  to  his  genius 
and  energy : 

"  *  Busy  people  are  the  only  ones  who  ever  ac- 
complish anything/ 

"  That  is  why  the  Presbyterians  made  Rev.  Dr. 
John  B.  Laird  their  Pennsylvania  Moderator. 

"  Whenever  two  or  three  persons  are  gathered 
together  to  do  something  worth  while,  Dr.  Laird  is 
certain  to  be  one  of  them,  and  very  likely  their 
chairman. 

"  All  who  know  the  new  Moderator  intimately 
realize  that  he  will  be  a  lorn  figure  in  the  happy 
hereafter  if  there  aren't  at  least  sixteen  hours  of 
hard  work  to  be  done  every  day. 

"  A  newspaper  account  of  his  election  says  Dr. 
Laird  *  has  numerous  friends.'  Numerous  is  a 
feeble  word  in  this  connection.  Everybody  is  his 
friend,  and  if  you  doubt  me,  go  up  into  Frankford, 
where  he  has  been  preaching  for  twenty  years,  and 
ask  anybody,  from  the  president  of  the  bank  to  the 
boot-black  on  the  corner." 

Upon  returning  from  a  meeting  of  the  synod 
a  complimentary  dinner  was  arranged  by  the  Men's 
Society  of  the  church,  which  was  attended  by 
more  than  two  hundred  men  of  the  church  and 
community. 

After  an  elaborate  banquet,  Rev.  R.  P.  D.  Ben- 
nett, pastor  of  the  Summit  (Germantown)  Church, 
and  a  classmate  of  Dr.  Laird,  spoke  most  interest- 
ingly of  Seminary  experiences  and  of  pleasant 
journeyings  abroad  with  Dr.  Laird.    Among  other 


1  1 6         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

things,  he  said :  "  Dr.  Laird  was  a  friend  and  favor- 
ite of  every  member  of  his  class  in  Princeton 
Seminary.  Many  young  men  have  been  helped  by 
him  to  make  the  most  of  their  lives." 

Rev.  Dr.  Charles  R.  Watson,  Secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church,  was  the  second  speaker. 

In  introducing  the  third  speaker,  Dr.  Francis  L. 
Patton,  who  but  a  short  time  before  had  retired  as 
President  of  Princeton  Seminary,  Dr.  Laird  said: 
"  One  of  the  great  privileges  and  pleasures  of  my 
life  is  that  of  presenting  to  the  people  I  love  the 
man  who  is  the  prince  of  preachers  and  the  greatest 
theologian  in  the  world  today."  Dr.  Patton  was  at 
his  best,  and  made  one  of  his  happiest  addresses. 
In  closing  he  said :  "  I  want  to  congratulate  this 
congregation  upon  its  minister.  The  Church  knows 
and  honors  Dr.  Laird  throughout  its  length  and 
breadth.  It  has  trusted  him  greatly,  and  placed 
many  burdens  upon  him.  And  now,  he  has  had  con- 
ferred upon  him  an  honor  second  only  to  that  of 
being  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly — the 
Moderatorship  of  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  our 
largest  Synod.  I  feel  that  my  life  has  been  greatly 
enriched  by  his  friendship.  May  God  bless  him 
abundantly  in  the  work  he  is  now  doing,  and  in  the 
greater  work  that  is  before  him !" 

Dr.  Laird  is  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Re- 
formed Churches,  constituted  by  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1907,  and  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  its 
deliberations  at  the  meetings  held  in  New  York, 


Twent^'ftve  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry        1  1  7 

New  Orleans,  Pittsburgh,  Louisville,  and  Phila- 
delphia. 

The  reward  of  work  is  more  work,  and  this  surely 
has  been  Dr.  Laird's  daily  portion.  For  in  addition 
to  the  responsibilities  of  his  church  work  in  connec- 
tion with  ecclesiastical  agencies,  he  has  been  a  leader 
in  community  enterprises.  When  the  Frankford 
Hospital  was  confronted  with  the  urgent  necessity 
of  conducting  a  campaign  to  raise  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  and  looked  about  for  the  man  who 
possessed  the  qualities  of  leadership  that  would 
assure  success,  they  turned  to  the  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford.  He  organized 
his  forces,  inspired  them  with  his  own  enthusiasm 
and  the  goal  was  reached  within  four  days,  with 
several  thousand  dollars  additional. 

When  the  United  States  entered  the  World  War 
and  local  Red  Cross  chapters  were  being  organized 
everywhere,  the  citizens  of  Frankford  were  among 
the  first  to  establish  their  headquarters  and  to  begin 
to  work  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  and  sailors.  Again  Dr.  Laird  was  called  to 
assume  the  responsibilities  of  leadership.  In  the 
great  drive  for  funds,  the  citizens  rallied  to  his  call 
without  regard  to  race  or  creed.  When  the  final 
results  were  computed,  it  was  found  that  Frankford 
had  far  exceeded  its  quota,  enrolling  fifteen  thous- 
and members.  The  Frankford  Chapter,  of  which 
Dr.  Laird  was  the  President,  was  the  second  largest 
Red  Cross  organization  of  the  southeastern  district. 

But  with  all  his  popular  gifts  Dr.  Laird  has  al- 
ways placed  his  responsibilities  as  a  minister  of 


!  1 8         The  Presb})terian  Church  of  Frankford 

Christ  above  every  other  consideration,  and  in  all 
his  labors  he  has  maintained  the  dignity  of  his 
sacred  office.  In  pastoral  work  he  is  prompt  in  re- 
sponding to  every  case  of  need.  No  call  for  assist- 
ance is  unheeded  by  him,  it  matters  not  whence  it 
comes.  The  lowliest  homes,  whether  connected  with 
the  church  or  not,  can  always  depend  upon  his 
prompt  and  sympathetic  ministrations.  Wherever 
there  is  illness  among  the  congregation  he  is  always 
to  be  found,  a  faithful  visitor,  bringing  cheer  and 
encouragement.  He  is  a  friend  of  little  children, 
and  he  calls  them  all  by  name.  It  is  not  strange  that 
they  love  him. 

The  many  occasions  when  he  has  shared  out  of 
his  own  possessions  with  those  who  were  in  need, 
children  clothed,  rents  paid,  loans  advanced,  none 
will  be  permitted  to  know.  Likewise  the  scores  of 
times  he  has  tenderly  watched  by  the  bedside  of 
those  who  were  friendless  and  alone,  ministering 
comfort  in  their  last  hours,  will  never  be  recorded, 
because  he  regards  these  calls  as  God-given  oppor- 
tunities for  service  in  Christ's  Name,  and  not  to  be 
proclaimed  from  the  housetops.  And  so  it  shall  ever 
be  until  his  ministry  shall  have  been  fulfilled. 

Dr.  Laird  is  known  everywhere  for  his  adherence 
to  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith. 
He  delivers  a  positive  message.  In  his  interpreta- 
tion of  Scripture  truth  he  is  true  to  the  historic 
position  of  Presbyterianism,  and  to  the  traditions 
of  the  church  of  which  he  is  called  to  be  the  min- 
ister. He  conforms  to  the  standard  set  by  the  great 
Apostle  for  the  minister  of  Christ :  "  Preach  the 


Tn>ertt\)-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministry         I  1 9 

Word,  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season ;  con- 
vince, rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long-suffering  and 
teaching." 

The  Trustees  elected  during  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Laird  are  Joseph  C.  Lukens,  Dr.  Horatio  Pilking- 
ton,  Henry  S.  Battin,  Robert  L.  Sheppard,  Robert 
Dawes,  James  S.  McMaster,  Jr.,  Daniel  R.  Green- 
wood, James  Gray,  Norman  S.  Castor,  Frederick  L. 
Degener,  Jr.,  William  Howard  Holden,  Dr.  Em- 
mett  O'Neill,  Jr. 

On  April  20,  1919,  live  additional  elders  were  or- 
dained and  installed  as  follows :  Daniel  R.  Breneiser, 
Norman  S.  Castor,  Wilbur  G.  Dunning,  William  B. 
O'Hara,  John  M.  Somerndike,  Jr. 

Some  statistics  will  be  of  interest  concerning  the 
condition  of  the  church  in  the  year  1920.  The  act- 
ive membership  now  numbers  837,  an  increase  of 
109  per  cent,  during  a  quarter  of  a  century;  with  a 
Sabbath-school  enrollment  of  843.  The  number  of 
accessions  to  the  church  during  Dr.  Laird's  pastor- 
ate is  662  by  profession  of  faith,  and  470  by  cer- 
tificate from  other  churches.  The  number  of 
baptisms  administered  to  infants  is  389. 

The  amount  contributed  for  church  support  and 
benevolences  during  the  year  1919-1920  is  $24,- 
000.00,  which  is  nearly  five  times  as  large  as  the 
amount  recorded  in  the  closing  year  of  the  pre- 
ceding pastorate,  indicating  a  congregation  whose 
ideals  of  stewardship  have  been  developed  to  an 
uncommon  degree.  The  total  amount  expended 
in  repairing  and  improving  the  church  property 
during  these  twenty-five  years  is  larger  than  the 


120         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

total  expenditures  for  repairs  and  improvements 
(not  including  the  new  building  in  1859)  during 
all  the  previous  years  of  its  history.  We  bear 
testimony  to  these  things  not  boastingly,  but  in 
humble  recognition  of  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
the  united  labors  of  pastor  and  people  under  the 
efficient  ministry  of  Dr.  Laird.  May  he  be  given 
strength  of  body  and  length  of  days,  with  spiritual 
force  constantly  renewed  from  the  Source  of  all 
power,  to  continue  to  lead  this  people  into  the 
larger  areas  of  service  which  are  opening  before 
them!  What  the  future  has  in  store  for  us  none 
can  foresee,  but  of  this  we  are  assured,  that  if  we 
go  forward  in  faith,  relying  upon  His  unfailing 
grace,  guided  by  the  wisdom  which  is  from  above, 
the  coming  years  will  record  still  greater  conquests 
and  richer  blessings. 

The  prophet  of  ancient  Israel  set  up  a  stone  to 
memorialize  the  victories  which  God  had  graciously 
granted  them,  and  His  presence  with  them  in  their 
struggles,  with  the  inscription,  "  Hitherto  hath  the 
Lord  helped  us."  It  was  to  stand  through  succeed- 
ing generations  as  an  enduring  testimony  to  God's 
care  and  guidance.  And  well  may  we  at  this  mile- 
stone in  our  history  set  down  this  record  of  the 
wonders  of  God's  grace  and  the  leading  of  His 
providence,  not  for  ourselves  only,  but  for  those 
who  shall  come  after  us  in  guiding  the  affairs  of  our 
beloved  church.  May  they  never  permit  her  sanc- 
tity to  be  profaned,  and  may  they  ever  hold  in 
sacred  memory  the  saints  of  God  who  have  here 


Twenty-five  Years  of  Fruitful  Ministr})         1 2 1 

ministered  and  labored  so  unselfishly  during  all  the 
passing  years  to  the  glorifying  of  His  Name. 


Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken, 

Zion,  city  of  our  God; 
He  whose  word  cannot  be  broken 

Formed  thee  for  His  own  abode. 
On  the  Rock  of  Ages  founded, 

What  can  shake  thy  sure  repose  ? 
With  salvation's  walls  surrounded, 

Thou  mayst  smile  at  all  thy  foes. 


George  Castor 

l.Sir)-1844 


John  D.  Harper 
1845-1853 


John  Deal 

1854-1862 


Rev.  Thomas  Murphy 
1862-1872 


Joseph  L.  Kinkerter 

1874-1898 


William   Hamill 
1872-1873 


S.  Rowland  Caldwell 

1808-1966 


SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH  OF  FRANKFORD 

"And  he  took  a  little  child  and  set  him  in  the  midst 
of  them." 

When  the  Frank  ford  Church  was  organized  in 
1770  the  modern  Sunday-school  movement  had  not 
yet  been  introduced.  The  children  of  godly  parents 
were  taught  the  Bible,  the  catechism,  and  the  church 
hymns  at  home,  and  the  minister  frequently  ex- 
amined them  when  making  the  round  of  pastoral 
visits,  but  there  was  no  attempt  upon  the  part  of 
the  churches  to  conduct  schools  of  religion  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  making  them  an  integral  part  of  the 
church's  life  and  work. 

Robert  Raikes,  a  printer  of  Gloucester,  England, 
is  called  the  Father  of  the  modern  Sunday-school, 
and  its  origin  dates  from  the  year  1780.  He  became 
impressed  with  the  ignorance  of  the  children  of  the 
working  class  and  being  a  zealous  churchman,  he 
was  distressed  as  he  walked  through  the  streets  of 
the  city,  to  see  the  children  quarreling,  swearing, 
indulging  in  vicious  practices,  and  otherwise  dese- 
crating the  Lord's  Day.  Popular  education  was  un- 
known either  in  England  or  America  at  that  time. 
The  children  of  the  laboring  class  were  put  to  work 
in  the  factories  at  a  very  early  age,  and  consequently 
had  no  opportunity  to  learn  even  to  read  or  write, 
much  less  to  develop  an  ambition  for  a  higher  edu- 
cation.   Whatever  was  to  be  done  to  keep  them  from 

123 


124         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

growing  up  in  absolute  illiteracy  would  have  to  be 
done  on  the  Sabbath.  Raikes  conceived  the  idea  of 
gathering  these  children  together  each  Sabbath,  em- 
ploying four  women  to  instruct  them  in  reading  and 
the  Anglican  Church  Catechism,  paying  them  one 
shilling  a  day.  He  then  prepared  and  printed  in  his 
own  shop,  a  text-book  called  "  Readinmadesy." 
Children  between  the  ages  of  six  and  fourteen  were 
admitted  upon  condition  that  they  come  with  clean 
hands  and  face,  and  hair  combed. 

The  morning  session  lasted  from  ten  until  twelve 
o'clock.  At  one  o'clock  they  attended  church  and 
then  the  Sunday-school  was  continued  until  five- 
thirty.  Boys  and  girls  were  kept  separate  and 
classes  were  composed  of  five  or  six  pupils  each. 
The  movement  grew  rapidly  and  within  eight  years 
250,000  pupils  were  enrolled.  An  English  historian, 
referring  to  the  effect  of  the  work  of  Raikes,  writes : 
"  It  was  then  that  the  moral,  the  philanthropic,  the 
religious  ideals  which  have  moulded  English  society 
into  its  present  shape,  first  broke  the  spiritual  torpor 
of  the  eighteenth  century."  From  this  the  modern 
Sunday-school  has  developed,  spreading  its  in- 
fluence over  the  entire  world.  The  introduction  of 
the  Sunday-school  into  America  in  definite,  aggres- 
sive form  took  place  during  the  early  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  Here  the  Sunday-school  from 
the  beginning  was  a  church  school,  and  the  work  of 
Bible  teaching  was  directed  and  fostered  by  the 
church  authorities.  In  this  respect  it  was  quite 
different  from  the  "  ragged  school "  founded  by 
Robert  Raikes.     During  the  years  that   followed, 


Members  of  the  first  class  in  the   Frankford 
Presbyterian   Sunday-school. 


Mr,  William  Gibson 

Teacher  of  the  first  class  of  boys 


Sunday-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      123 

each  denomination  formed  its  own  general  agency, 
to  care  for  the  interests  of  this  work,  which  was 
rapidly  gaining  headway  as  a  nation-wide  move- 
ment, and  to  publish  suitable  literature. 

As  the  direct  result  of  the  success  of  the 
Sunday-school  movement  in  England,  the  first  or- 
ganization for  the  purpose  of  developing  it  in 
America  was  "  The  First  Day  or  Sunday-school  So- 
ciety," organized  in  Philadelphia  in  1791.  The 
movement  was  given  additional  popularity  through 
the  visit  of  the  Rev.  Robert  May,  a  missionary  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society,  who  stopped  in 
Philadelphia  in  1811  on  his  way  to  India,  and  by 
his  public  addresses  awakened  a  widespread  inter- 
est in  the  establishment  of  Sunday-schools. 

Doubtless  it  was  largely  through  the  new  impetus 
which  had  been  given  to  the  religious  nurture  of  the 
young  through  his  visit,  that  the  leaders  of  the 
Frankford  Church  were  led  to  consider  the  advisa- 
bility of  organizing  a  Sunday-school.  In  April, 
1815,  the  work  was  begun  with  seven  little  girls  and 
two  teachers.  As  might  be  expected,  Mr.  George 
Castor,  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader  in  every  for- 
ward step  which  the  church  undertook  throughout 
his  long  and  useful  life,  was  the  man  who  assumed 
the  responsibility  for  promoting  this  new  project. 

It  is  a  quaint  picture  that  is  presented  to  us,  of 
this  little  company  gathered  about  the  huge  stove  in 
the  church  auditorium,  dressed  in  the  strange  cos- 
tumes belonging  to  that  period,  and  seated  on  the 
rude  backless  benches.     Mrs.  Martha  Dungan,  a 


126         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

godly  woman  and  a  teacher  in  a  private  school,  was 
the  first  teacher,  and  associated  with  her  was  Mrs. 
Hannah  Neff  Patterson,  a  granddaughter  of  Ru- 
dolph Neff.  We  are  able  to  find  the  names  of  only 
four  of  the  seven  original  members  of  the  school. 
They  were  Mrs.  Mary  Wakeling,  Mrs.  Mary  Strat- 
ton.  Miss  Martha  Harper  and  Miss  Sarah  Neff. 

It  appears  that  there  was  considerable  opposition 
to  the  school  at  first  because  it  was  free.  The  par- 
ents protested  that  they  were  able  to  pay  for  their 
children's  schooling.  From  this  it  is  quite  evident 
that  the  church  at  large  had  not  yet  come  to  an  un- 
derstanding of  the  underlying  principle  of  the 
Sunday-school,  namely,  that  the  church  is  respon- 
sible for  the  religious  instruction  and  training  of  its 
children ;  nor  did  they  appreciate  the  importance  of 
the  child  in  the  church's  life  and  work,  as  does  the 
church  of  the  twentieth  century. 

Three  years  after  the  opening  of  the  school,  a 
class  of  boys  was  formed,  followed  by  others  within 
a  short  time.  The  first  teachers  of  the  boys'  classes 
were  Mr.  William  Gibson,  Mr.  William  Nassau  and 
Mr.  John  Deal.  Such  was  the  humble  beginning  of 
a  work  which  has  been  continued  through  the  suc- 
ceeding one  hundred  and  five  years  without  a  break. 
There  are  few  Sunday-schools  in  America  whose 
organization  antedates  that  of  the  Sunday-school  of 
this  old  church. 

A  few  years  afterward  the  school  began  to  hold 
its  sessions  in  the  choir  gallery  in  the  rear  of  the 
church  auditorium.  Mr.  George  Castor  continued 
as  Superintendent  until  he  died,  in  1844,  a  period  of 


This  Cettiltes 


-^ 


1: :  ^^/  '///!'u^,r...,,. 


t"^^) 


3 


/y 


!^,V    -  '.4^'' '■'>\- 


Certificate  of  membership  issued  to  Sabbath-school  pupils  more  than  half 
a  centuryago.  This  certificate  is  the  property  of  Mrs.  Elwood  Yerkes, 
(nee  Guckes)  who  has  been  a  member  of  the  Sunday-school  for  sixty- 
six   years. 


Sunday-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      127 

twenty-nine  years.  None  of  his  successors  in  that 
office  was  privileged  to  serve  the  church  in  this  ca- 
pacity for  so  long  a  time.  His  immediate  successor 
was  Mr.  John  D.  Harper,  who  assumed  the  duties 
of  Superintendent  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Castor, 
during  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Howard. 

No  records  of  the  Sunday-school  have  been  pre- 
served prior  to  1870.  We  are  obliged,  therefore,  to 
depend  upon  the  descriptions  of  the  school  given  by 
those  who  were  in  close  contact  with  its  work  dur- 
ing the  years  preceding  the  date  of  the  earliest  re- 
corded events.  In  his  address  at  the  Centennial 
Celebration  in  1870,  Dr.  Howard  stated  that  when 
he  began  his  ministry  in  Frankford,  the  member- 
ship of  the  Sunday-school  did  not  exceed  thirty-five, 
with  five  or  six  teachers.  He  continued,  "  Early  and 
special  attention  was  given  to  the  children  of  the 
congregation.  Every  appliance  we  could  command 
to  increase  the  numbers  in  the  Sabbath-school  and 
to  increase  its  efficiency  was  brought  into  requisi- 
tion. Among  others  a  magic-lantern  was  procured, 
and  as  often  as  possible  exhibitions  and  lectures  on 
Scripture  subjects  were  given,  not  only  to  the  schol- 
ars of  our  own  school,  but  also  to  the  children  of 
the  town.  On  these  occasions  the  little  church  was 
thronged  not  only  with  children,  but  also  with  men 
and  women,  who  seemed  to  take  just  as  much  pleas- 
ure in  looking  at  the  gay  pictures  and  listening  to 
the  simple  lectures  as  the  juveniles  themselves. 
When  the  speaker  came  among  this  people  there  was 
a  faithful  and  persistent,  though  very  small,  band  of 
Sabbath-school  teachers,  to  whose  ranks,  from  time 


T28        The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

to  time,  as  scholars  increased,  others  were  added, 
until  they  became  a  little  host.  Our  quarters  in  the 
gallery  were  presently  found  to  be  too  confined  for 
us,  and  we  were  obliged  to  betake  ourselves  to  the 
body  of  the  church;  and  in  process  of  time  the  little 
sanctuary  was  well-nigh  filled  with  scholars,  teach- 
ers and  school  officers.  In  eleven  years  we  had 
grown  certainly  from  less  than  fifty  teachers  and 
scholars  to  over  three  hundred. 

"  One  of  the  most  pleasing  facts  in  this  connection 
is  that  quite  a  number  from  the  school  were  brought 
into  the  church.  For  a  long  time  we  were  ac- 
customed to  have  a  little  prayer-meeting  immedi- 
ately after  the  exercises  of  the  school  were  over. 
These  were  among  the  most  precious  meetings  the 
speaker  ever  attended,  and  he  believes  the  simple 
services  conducted  on  these  occasions  were  more 
successful  in  gathering  souls  into  the  fold  of  Christ 
than  any  other  service  he  performed.  The  Sabbath- 
school  was  emphatically  the  nursery  of  the  Frank- 
ford  Church.'* 

Mr.  Harper  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  John  Deal  in 
1854,  who  filled  the  office  of  Superintendent  until 
1862  with  great  efficiency.  Upon  his  retirement  it 
was  found  difficult  to  secure  anyone  to  take  up  the 
work  and  the  responsibility  fell  upon  the  shoulders 
of  Dr.  Murphy,  who  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  the 
teachers  of  the  Sunday-school  to  become  their  leader 
in  this  important  department  of  the  church.  The 
school  grew  and  developed  during  his  administra- 
tion, but  with  the  close  of  the  year  1872,  Dr.  Murphy 
indicated  his  desire  to  be  relieved  of  this  responsi- 


Sunday-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      1 29 

bility,  and  at  the  election  of  officers  in  January,  1873, 
Mr.  William  Hamill  was  elected  to  take  his  place. 
He  served  for  one  year  only,  and  was  succeeded  in 
1874  by  Mr.  Joseph  L.  Kinkerter,  who  had  been  Mr. 
Hamill's  assistant,  besides  having  served  as  the  Li- 
brarian of  the  Sunday-school  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  who  had  become  increasingly  interested  in  its 
work. 

The  list  of  officers  of  the  Sunday-school  as  it 
appears  in  the  earliest  records  is  interesting  because 
it  indicates  the  organization  of  that  period : 

President  of  the  Teacher's  Association,  Mr. 
Joseph  Ball. 

Secretary,  Mr.  J.  M.  Somerndike,  Sr. 

Treasurer,  Miss  Mary  Gibson. 

Superintendent,  Mr.  William  Hamill. 

Assistant  Superintendent,  Mr.  Joseph  L.  Kin- 
kerter. 

Female  Superintendent,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Foster. 

Assistant  Female  Superintendent,  Miss  Cath- 
erine Emery. 

Librarian,  Mr.  David  Thomas. 

Clerk,  Miss  Lizzie  Murdock. 

Doorkeeper,  Mr.  Gransback. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that,  even  at  this  period, 
comparatively  recent,  at  least  to  many  of  the  older 
members  of  the  church,  Sunday-schools  were  con- 
ducted in  a  very  primitive  fashion  when  compared 
with  the  graded  well-equipped  Sunday-school  of  the 
present.  There  were  no  denominational  lesson 
periodicals  published.     The  subject  of  the  arrange- 


1 30         The  Presb\)tenan  Church  of  Frankford 

ment  of  a  uniform  lesson  system  for  the  Sunday- 
schools  of  all  denominations  was  then  being  widely 
discussed,  but  nothing  definite  was  accomplished  in 
this  direction  until  a  few  years  later. 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  Frankford  Sunday- 
school  of  that  day  to  appoint  a  Committee  each  year 
to  prepare  a  course  of  lessons  for  the  ensuing  year 
and  weekly  meetings  of  the  teachers  were  held  to 
discuss  the  lesson  assigned  for  the  following  Lord's 
Day,  under  the  leadership  of  the  minister.  The 
records  of  the  school  indicate  a  serious  discussion 
concerning  this  matter  in  1872.  During  the  previous 
year  the  first  attempt  had  been  made  upon  the  part 
of  the  Presbyterian  denomination  to  publish  a  lesson 
course  for  its  Sunday-schools.  This  was  under- 
taken by  the  Rev.  Henry  C.  McCook,  D.D.,  who 
prepared  an  outline  covering  a  cycle  of  eight  years. 
Four  series  were  issued,  each  covering  a  period  of 
six  months,  and  they  were  called  "  The  Westminster 
Sabbath-school  Lessons." 

The  knowledge  of  this  course  probably  accounted 
for  the  reluctance  of  the  committee  appointed  in 
1872  to  formulate  a  different  set  of  lessons  for  the 
Frankford  Sunday-school.  The  discussion  resulted 
in  the  adoption  of  the  course  prepared  by  Dr.  Henry 
C.  McCook,  and  published  by  the  Board  of  Publi- 
cation. In  1875  the  publication  of  "  The  West- 
minster Question  Book "  was  begun.  The  first 
Sunday-school  Quarterly  appeared  in  1880,  and  was 
adopted  immediately  by  the  Frankford  Sunday- 
school. 

Under  the  wise  administration  of  Mr.  Kinkerter 


Sunday-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      1  3 1 

the  work  of  the  Sunday-school  was  carried  forward 
in  a  manner  that  brought  to  his  support  the  leading 
men  and  women  of  the  church.  His  plans  were  con- 
structive and  practicable.  He  was  a  leader  who  was 
equipped  mentally  and  spiritually  for  the  task.  A 
man  of  quiet,  unassuming  disposition,  yet  firm  and 
positive  in  his  convictions,  Mr.  Kinkerter  brought 
the  school  steadily  up  to  a  high  standard  of  excel- 
lence. Special  attention  was  given  to  the  library, 
which  contained  several  hundred  volumes,  and 
which  was  an  important  part  of  the  school's  work, 
for  no  public  libraries  were  available  at  that  time. 
It  was  Mr.  Kinkerter  who  introduced  the  plan  of 
holding  a  Christmas  entertainment,  the  first  being 
held  in  December,  1875.  He  also  originated  the 
idea  of  giving  the  school  a  summer  excursion.  The 
plan  of  awarding  books  for  bringing  in  new  pupils 
into  the  school  was  put  into  operation  for  the  first 
time  by  Mr.  Kinkerter  in  1876.  He  kept  in  close 
touch  with  the  wider  development  of  the  Sunday- 
school  movement  and  was  always  on  the  alert  for 
new  ideas  and  methods  that  would  contribute 
toward  the  upbuilding  of  the  school  in  efficiency 
and  equipment. 

During  his  administration  Sunday-school  Insti- 
tutes were  held  in  the  church  for  the  training  of 
the  workers,  a  normal  class  was  introduced  for  the 
preparation  of  teachers,  and  an  Intermediate  De- 
partment was  organized,  of  which  Mr.  J.  M.  Som- 
erndike,  Sr.,  was  the  first  Superintendent.  Mr. 
Kinkerter  led  the  school  in  participating  in  every 
good  work,  not  only  in  connection  with  the  church, 


1 32         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

but  in  missionary  and  other  enterprises.  Mission- 
ary offerings  were  largely  increased,  and  substantial 
sums  were  raised  for  other  good  causes,  such  as  the 
Presbyterian  Orphanage,  the  Bible  Society,  the 
erection  of  the  Witherspoon  Monument  in  Fair- 
mount  Park,  besides  assisting  the  Sunday-schools 
of  the  weaker  neighboring  churches  in  Tacony  and 
Wissinoming. 

The  spiritual  life  of  the  school  was  maintained  at 
a  high  standard.  Every  Sabbath,  at  the  close  of  the 
Sunday-school  session,  a  prayer  meeting  was  held, 
which  was  always  well  attended  by  the  officers  and 
teachers,  as  well  as  the  older  pupils.  Hundreds 
were  brought  into  church  fellowship  during  the 
years  of  his  superintendency,  largely  as  the  result 
of  his  own  godly  example,  and  the  evangelistic 
emphasis  which  he  persistently  advocated. 

The  Primary  Department,  or  "  Infant  Depart- 
ment," as  it  was  called  for  many  years,  was  pre- 
sided over  by  Mrs.  Stratton  until  January,  1882, 
when  Miss  Mary  R.  Murphy  assumed  the  task,  as- 
sisted by  Miss  Maggie  Foster.  Miss  Murphy  was 
adapted  to  this  work  both  by  training  and  tempera- 
ment. Many  of  the  adult  members  of  the  church 
today  can  look  back  across  the  years  when  they  sat 
on  the  little  red  benches,  arranged  in  tiers,  the  boys 
on  one  side  and  the  girls  on  the  other,  while  Miss 
Murphy  taught  them  to  sing  the  simple  little  chil- 
dren's hymns,  and  taught  the  lesson  of  the  day  in 
her  inimitable  way.  All  the  children  loved  her.  In 
those  days  children  remained  in  "  the  infant  room  " 
until  they  were  considered  "  big  enough  "  to  go  into 


Facsimile  of  the  pin  given  to 
the  members  of  the  Sundav- 
school  at  the  One  Hundredth 
Anniversary   in  1915. 


Robert  Dawes 

Superintendent  1907-1916 


Henry  S.  Borneman 

Superintendent  1917-1920 


J.    M.    SOMERNDIKE 

Superintendent  1910-1917 
Re-elected  1920 


John  W.  Liberton 

President   of  the   Sunday   School 

Teachers'   Association 

since  1900 


Sunda\)-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      1 33 

the  main  school,  usually  at  the  age  of  nine,  ten,  or 
even  twelve  years  of  age,  so  it  can  readily  be  un- 
derstood that  the  task  of  conducting  this  depart- 
ment was  not  an  easy  one.  At  times  it  became 
necessary  to  enforce  discipline  in  no  uncertain  way, 
and  not  infrequently  the  best  reason  that  could  be 
given  for  the  transfer  of  a  boy  to  the  main  school 
was  that  he  was  uncontrollable  and  a  source  of  dis- 
turbance in  the  infant  department.  But  all  who  had 
the  privilege  of  passing  through  this  department, 
coming  under  Miss  Murphy's  influence,  will  think 
of  those  years  with  tender  memories  of  her  sympa- 
thetic and  happy  disposition.  She  had  the  rare 
faculty  of  being  able  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  child 
life,  and  so  she  won  their  confidence  and  love. 

In  1887  the  Sunday-school  rooms  were  renovated 
and  refurnished.  The  old  settees,  which  had  seen 
years  of  service,  having  replaced  the  old  benches 
many  years  before,  were  sold  and  chairs  were  pur- 
chased for  the  pupils,  with  arm  chairs  for  the  teach- 
ers. The  floors  were  covered  with  new  matting  and 
small  chairs  were  purchased  for  the  children  in  the 
Primary  Department.  Additional  alterations  were 
made  in  1890,  the  old  sash  partitions  being  removed 
and  replaced  by  large  doors,  the  library  being  moved 
to  the  rear  of  the  platform.  The  old  frosted  glass 
windows  were  replaced  by  new  ground  glass  panes, 
which  remain  until  this  day.  The  money  for  the 
windows  was  raised  by  the  "  Coral  Workers,"  a 
children's  mission  band  un<ier  the  leadership  of  Mrs. 
J.  M.  Somerndike,  Sr.  The  cost  of  these  alterations 
was  about  one  thousand  dollars. 


1  34         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

With  the  coming  of  the  new  pastor,  Mr.  Laird,  in 
1895,  the  Sunday-school,  with  every  other  depart- 
ment of  the  church's  work,  was  revived  and 
strengthened.  Mr.  Laird  reaHzed  the  value  of  the 
Sunday-school  to  the  church,  and  immediately 
entered  into  its  work  as  the  teacher  of  a  large  class 
of  young  men.  He  developed  plans  for  building  up 
the  school  in  membership,  and  brought  its  work  into 
harmony  with  the  more  modern  methods. 

Early  in  1898,  after  a  long  and  serious  illness,  Mr. 
Kinkerter  asked  to  be  relieved  of  the  duties  of  Su- 
perintendent. An  appropriate  minute  was  adopted 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Sunday-school  Association 
when  Mr.  Kinkerter's  resignation  was  reluctantly 
accepted.  Mr.  S.  Rowland  Caldwell,  who  had  been 
elected  as  Assistant  Superintendent  in  1888,  and 
who  later  became  the  Superintendent  of  the  Inter- 
mediate Department  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Somern- 
dike,  was  elected  to  the  position  made  vacant  Dy  Mr. 
Kinkerter's  resignation.  Mr.  Caldwell  entered  upon 
his  duties  with  enthusiasm,  and  with  the  loyal  sup- 
port of  the  entire  school.  A  man  of  attractive  per- 
sonality, and  with  an  intimate  knowledge  of  all 
branches  of  Sunday-school  work,  he  was  well  quali- 
fied for  the  task.  There  was  a  revival  of  interest  in 
the  work  of  the  school,  and  all  departments  felt  the 
impulse  of  his  aggressive  spirit. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1898  the  Sunday- 
school,  as  well  as  the  entire  church,  experienced  a 
deep  sense  of  loss  when  Mr.  Kinkerter  was  called 
to  his  eternal  reward.  Memorial  services  were  held 
in  the  Sunday-school  on  January  8,  1899,  and  ap- 


Sunda})-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      1  35 

propriate  resolutions  were  adopted.  A  movement 
was  immediately  begun  to  raise  a  fund  in  the 
Sunday-school  for  the  erection  of  a  memorial  win- 
dow in  the  church  in  recognition  of  his  work. 
Liberal  contributions  were  made,  more  than  six 
hundred  dollars  being  collected,  and  the  window 
was  dedicated  a  few  months  later.  It  is  the  largest 
window  in  the  church,  facing  on  Frankf ord  Avenue, 
the  design  being  illustrative  of  the  parable  of  the 
Good  Shepherd. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1903  plans  were 
made  for  the  reorganization  and  grading  of  the 
Sunday-school.  A  special  meeting  of  the  Teachers' 
Association  was  held  for  a  conference  with  Mr. 
Israel  P.  Black,  for  many  years  a  national  leader  in 
Sunday-school  work.  As  the  result  of  this  confer- 
ence the  present  system  of  graded  organization  and 
instruction  was  adopted.  The  Intermediate  Depart- 
ment was  abolished  and  a  Junior  Department  estab- 
lished, of  which  Miss  Edith  Borie  was  elected  Su- 
perintendent. She  was  succeeded  in  1917  by  Mr.  L. 
Cheston  Starkey,  the  present  Superintendent.  A 
Beginners  Department  was  organized  with  Miss  Ray 
Sullivan  as  Superintendent.  She  was  succeeded  by 
Mrs.  William  A.  Wilgus,  who  is  still  serving  effi- 
ciently in  that  position.  The  Primary  Department 
was  continued  under  the  leadership  of  Miss  Jean 
Barr.  She  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  David  M.  Lovett 
in  1907.  The  plan  of  annual  promotions  was 
adopted ;  supplemental  lessons  were  introduced,  new 
records  opened,  and  the  whole  work  of  the  school 


1  36         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

brought  to  a  standard  in  conformity  with  the  latest 
improved  methods. 

In  December,  1906,  the  removal  of  Mr.  Caldwell's 
residence  from  Frankford  made  it  necessary  for  him 
to  resign  from  the  position  of  Superintendent.  The 
news  of  his  retirement  was  received  with  universal 
regret.  Through  his  efforts  the  school  was  in  a 
prosperous  condition,  with  a  full  corps  of  loyal  and 
efficient  workers.  At  the  beginning  of  the  following 
year  (1907)  Mr.  Robert  Dawes  was  elected  to  suc- 
ceed Mr.  Caldwell.  During  his  administration, 
covering  a  period  of  nine  years,  the  school  continued 
to  grow  and  develop  in  all  of  its  activities.  The 
attendance  was  increased,  a  high  spiritual  tone  was 
maintained,  and  there  were  numerous  accessions  to 
the  church  from  the  ranks  of  the  Sunday-school 
membership.  The  school  owes  much  to  the  faithful 
services  of  Mr.  Dawes  for  the  way  in  which  he 
consolidated  and  stabilized  the  work  of  the  entire 
organization. 

On  May  2,  1915,  the  Sunday-school  celebrated  its 
One  Hundredth  Anniversary.  Special  exercises 
were  held  on  the  Sabbath  with  a  social  meeting  on 
the  following  Wednesday,  at  which  a  pageant  was 
given  portraying  the  different  periods  of  the  school's 
history.  Large  congregations  gathered  for  these 
services.  Souvenir  programs  were  prepared  and 
each  pupil  was  presented  with  a  pin  stamped  with  a 
reproduction  of  the  original  church  edifice. 

After  nine  years  of  efficient  service  Mr.  Dawes 
retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Somern- 
dike,  Jr.,  who  held  the  position  for  one  year,  and 


Sunday-school  of  the  Church  of  Frankford      1 37 

was  followed  by  Mr.  Henry  S.  Borneman,  who 
served  efficiently  until  the  close  of  the  year  1919, 
when  Mr.  Somerndike  was  re-elected  to  the  position. 

The  history  of  the  Sunday-school  would  be  incom- 
plete without  a  reference  to  the  long  and  faithful 
service  of  Mr.  John  W.  Liberton,  as  Secretary  for 
the  Beginners,  Primary  and  Junior  Departments, 
and  as  President  of  the  Teachers'  Association.  The 
interests  of  the  Sunday-school  have  always  claimed 
a  large  share  of  his  thought  and  effort,  and  his  wise 
planning  and  thoroughness  in  detail  have  contributed 
much  toward  keeping  the  work  of  the  school  in  a 
flourishing  condition  through  all  the  changes  in  the 
official  staff. 

The  Sunday-school  has  been  blessed  also  in  the 
leaders  of  its  music.  For  many  years  Mr.  Yonker, 
while  chorister  of  the  church,  performed  the  duties 
of  musical  director  in  the  Sunday-school,  with  un- 
selfish devotion.  He  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  George 
Hale,  and  later  by  Mr.  David  M.  Lovett,  whose  con- 
nection with  the  Sunday-school  music  dates  from 
January,  1890,  when  he  was  elected  organist  of  the 
school.  Mr.  Lovett  has  served  also  for  nearly  thirty 
years  as  secretary  of  the  Teachers'  Association. 

Tribute  should  be  paid  also  to  the  faithful  work 
of  the  teachers  of  the  Sunday-school,  upon  whom  in 
the  last  analysis,  must  always  rest  the  responsibility 
for  the  success  or  failure  of  the  work.  The  school 
has  been  richly  blessed  in  the  efficiency  of  its  teach- 
ing force.  Through  all  the  years,  thousands  have 
been  brought  into  a  knowledge  of  the  Word,  and  a 
great   multitude   gathered    into   Christ's    Kingdom 


1  38         The  Presb})ierian  Church  of  Frankford 

through  their  labors.  While  space  does  not  permit 
the  naming  of  all,  special  mention  should  be  made 
of  Miss  Mary  Gibson,  who  taught  for  sixty  years. 
Miss  Margaret  Murdock,  whose  service  extended 
over  a  similar  period,  Miss  Sarah  Irwin,  Miss 
Sarah  Gaskill,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Kinkerter,  Mrs.  George 
Lewis,  Miss  Foulds,  Miss  Sarah  McMenamin,  the 
Misses  Gill,  the  Misses  Dawes,  Miss  Lewis,  Mrs. 
Anna  Fries,  Doctor  George  Hale,  and  others. 

As  this  record  of  one  hundred  and  five  years  of 
Sunday-school  effort  is  scanned,  it  may  truthfully 
be  said  that  much  of  the  growth  and  success  of  the 
church  has  been  due  to  the  emphasis  which  it  has 
given  to  the  training  of  her  children  and  youth.  It 
is  equally  true  that  the  churches  which  have  ne- 
glected the  teaching  function  have  withered  and 
died. 

The  present  membership  of  the  Sunday-school  by 
departments  is  as  follows : 

Officers  and  Teachers 48 

Beginners  Department 84 

Primary  Department 86 

Junior  Department 77 

Senior  Department 386 

Home  Department 90 

Home  Department  Visitors 9 

Cradle  Roll 63 

Total 843 


The  Societies  1  39 

THE  LADIES'  AID  SOCIETY 

Unfortunately  no  records  have  been  kept  con- 
cerning the  work  of  this  splendid  society.  For  its 
history  we  are  dependent  upon  the  information 
which  we  have  been  able  to  gather  here  and  there 
among  the  members.  Its  organization  dates  back  to 
the  time  of  the  Civil  War,  the  original  purpose  of 
its  existence  being  to  prepare  lint  and  bandages  for 
the  wounded  soldiers,  besides  comforts  for  the  sick. 
The  first  president  was  Mrs.  Mary  Stratton.  Other 
presidents  have  been  Mrs.  Joseph  Ball,  the  mother 
of  Joseph  Ball,  Esq.,  Mrs.  William  B.  Dixon  and 
Mrs.  Joseph  L.  Kinkerter,  who  occupies  that  office 
at  the  present  time. 

They  have  never  failed  to  respvond  to  calls  for  aid 
both  in  Frankford  and  elsewhere.  Money  and 
clothing  were  sent  to  the  sufferers  in  the  great 
Chicago  fire  of  1871,  and  to  the  survivors  of  the 
Johnstown  flood  in  1889.  Besides  these  gifts  they 
have  made  frequent  donations  of  substantial 
amounts  to  the  treasury  of  the  church  for  repairs 
and  improvements. 

For  many  years  it  has  been  their  custom  to  pre- 
pare a  box  of  clothing  as  a  Christmas  gift  to  a  mis- 
sionary. Many  needy  families  of  struggling  min- 
isters on  the  mission  field  have  thus  been  gladdened 
and  made  comfortable.  Each  year  a  large  number 
of  garments  are  made  for  the  Presbyterian  Hospital 
and  the  Frankford  Hospital.  For  many  years  all 
the  sewing  was  laboriously  done  by  hand,  but  the 
comparatively   recent   introduction   of   sewing  ma- 


1 40         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

chines  operated  by  electric  motors  has  enabled  the 
Society  materially  to  increase  its  output. 

THE  WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

This  Society  represents  the  consolidation  of  two 
missionary  organizations  which  had  their  beginnings 
many  years  ago.  In  December,  1877,  a  meeting  was 
held  in  the  church  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an 
Auxiliary  of  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  North. 
Thirty-eight  persons  subscribed  their  names  as  mem- 
bers of  the  new  society,  which  was  known  as  the 
Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Frankford.  Mrs.  Thomas 
Murphy  was  the  first  President.  Committees  were 
appointed  to  canvass  the  congregation  for  members, 
and  solicit  subscriptions  for  the  foreign  missionary 
magazines. 

In  the  first  year  of  its  existence  the  Society  con- 
tributed $41  toward  work  in  the  foreign  field. 

The  first  efforts  of  the  Society  were  directed 
toward  aiding  in  the  support  of  Mrs.  Fitch  in  China, 
and  Miss  Elizabeth  Milliken  in  Japan.  After  seven 
years  of  faithful  service,  Mrs,  Murphy  resigned  the 
Presidency  in  1884,  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Mary  Stratton, 
who,  in  1885,  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  Anna  Fries. 
In  1887  Mrs.  Jacob  Wagner  became  President  of  the 
Society,  and  held  the  position  until  1894,  when  Mrs. 
George  S.  Webster  was  elected  to  that  office. 

In  this  record  of  earnest  work  for  foreign  mis- 
sions, special  mention  must  be  made  of  Mrs.  James 
Anderson,  who  gave  faithful  service  for  twenty-five 


The  Societies  1 4 1 

years  as  Secretary,  and  Mrs.  Joseph  McConnell  for 
a  longer  period  as  Treasurer  of  the  Society. 

In  1883  the  Home  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford  was  organized, 
through  the  earnest  efforts  of  Mrs.  George  Hale, 
Sr.,  who  remained  its  President  through  a  number 
of  years.  Mrs.  Hale  was  followed  in  office  by  Mrs. 
George  Lewis.  Upon  her  resignation  Mrs.  Russell 
Thomas  was  made  President  of  the  Society,  and 
later  Mrs.  Richard  C.  Allen  was  elected. 

In  1913,  as  the  work  in  both  the  foreign  and  home 
fields  had  increased,  and  it  was  felt  that  more  effect- 
ive results  could  be  obtained  by  uniting  their  forces, 
the  two  Societies  were  consolidated  as  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Frankford,  with  Mrs.  Richard  C.  Allen  President. 

THE  YOUNG  WOMEN'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

This  Society  was  organized  in  April,  1881,  by  a 
company  of  young  women  of  the  church  under  the 
leadership  of  Miss  Mary  R.  Murphy.  Her  mission- 
ary interest  had  been  aroused  through  a  visit  of  two 
of  the  officers  of  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  in  Philadelphia.  At  their  suggestion  Miss 
Murphy  undertook  the  work  of  forming  this  or- 
ganization for  the  study  of  missions  and  the  en- 
largement of  missionary  support.  The  Society 
adopted  as  its  motto,  "  Overcome  evil  with  good," 
and  under  the  stimulus  of  this  exhortation  it  has 
accomplished  a  remarkable  work  for  missions,  and 
for  the  church.  Miss  Murphy  was  the  first  Presi- 
dent, continuing  in  that  office,  with  the  exception  of 


1 42         The  Presb})terian  Church  of  Frankford 

two  or  three  years,  until  1895.  Mention  should  be 
made  also  concerning  the  efficient  service  of  Miss 
Edith  W.  Borie,  who  was  President  for  nine  years, 
and  of  others,  including  Mrs.  David  M.  Lovett. 

In  1888  the  Society  began  the  publication  of  a 
monthly  paper,  "  The  Church  Herald,"  which  ap- 
peared regularly  for  a  number  of  years. 

Besides  imparting  missionary  information  and 
contributing  substantial  sums  toward  the  work  of 
the  mission  boards,  this  Society  has  engaged  in  other 
forms  of  helpful  service.  For  many  years  its  mem- 
bers assumed  the  responsibility  of  clothing  a  girl  in 
the  Presbyterian  Orphanage.  They  originated  the 
custom  of  placing  flowers  on  the  pulpit  at  the  Sab- 
bath services.  They  have  co-operated  by  generous 
contributions  in  every  improvement  to  the  church 
property,  besides  responding  to  every  call  for 
workers. 

The  present  membership  of  this  Society  is  nearly 
two  hundred.  Its  contributions  to  missionary  causes 
average  about  $450  annually.  Its  President  is  Miss 
Mabel  Corson. 

THE  WESTMINSTER  GUILD  AND  THE  JUNIOR 
MISSION  BAND 

Two  other  missionary  organizations  are  the  direct 
outgrowth  of  this  Society's  efforts,  the  Westminster 
Guild  for  older  girls,  and  the  Junior  Mission  Band 
for  the  children.  The  work  of  these  two  organiza- 
tions is  fostered  and  encouraged  by  the  parent  So- 
ciety. The  President  of  the  Westminster  Guild  is 
Miss  Isabel  M.  Somerndike.     The  Junior  Mission 


The  Societies  1 43 

Band  is  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  WilHam  A. 
Wilgus. 

THE  MEN'S  SOCIETY 

In  1902  the  Men's  Society  was  organized  for  the 
purpose  of  uniting  the  men  of  the  church  for  the 
promotion  of  the  church's  work  and  influence  and 
to  develop  the  social  spirit  among  them.  This  So- 
ciety for  many  years  assumed  the  financial  responsi- 
bility for  the  publication  of  the  weekly  church  bul- 
letin, and  provided  ushers  for  the  church  services, 
besides  assisting  in  many  other  ways.  Large  sums 
have  been  contributed  by  this  Society  toward  the 
various  improvements  and  repairs,  besides  making  a 
contribution  of  $1,000  toward  the  endowment  fund 
of  Lafayette  College. 

The  social  welfare  of  the  men  of  the  church  has 
been  effectively  promoted  through  an  annual  ban- 
quet held  during  the  month  of  November,  which  is 
largely  attended ;  and  through  occasional  entertain- 
ments, besides  other  public  meetings  addressed  by 
noted  lecturers  and  leaders  in  civic  affairs.  Mr.  L. 
Cheston  Starkey  was  elected  President  of  the  Men's 
Society  to  serve  during  the  year  1919-1920. 

THE  USHERS'  ASSOCIATION 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Men's  Society  an  Ush- 
ers' Association  was  organized  in  1916.  The  object 
of  this  organization  is  to  provide  ushers  for  the 
evening  services  of  the  church  and  for  special  meet- 
ings in  the  church  auditorium.    Its  members  include 


1 44         The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Frankford 

the  younger  men  of  the  church  and  Sabbath-school, 
all  of  whom  manifest  a  deep  interest  in  the  work 
assigned  to  them.  Frequent  social  meetings  are  held 
with  occasional  debates  and  literary  evenings.  Mr. 
James  M.  Gray,  Jr.,  is  the  President  of  this 
Association. 


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